The Beacon in Black
by Ironman 7
Summary: In a universe where the threat of Salem and her cohorts are no smaller than before, come hither to this tale of the "Good Witches Son"
1. The Black Beacon

The Black Beacon

The airship made it's approach to the school for huntsman and Huntresses, people doing their daily business below on the city streets, with a few taking a quick look at the aircraft over head. Inside lay young men and women that would become alumni to the academy know as Beacon.

Inside there be a young girl 2 years younger than every other budding huntsmen, in red and black. While the majority of the passengers held excitement this young warrior, was rather depressed. There was a blonde girl next to her, wearing an orange scarf was that anything but depressed.

"Oh I can't believe my baby sister is going to Beacon with me! This is the best day ever!" the Yang exclaimed hugging the young girl.

Somehow the girl in red looked even more depressed. "Pleassst-stooop." Ruby said feeling herself being crushed by the blonde lovingly.

The blonde girt let go and said."But I'm SO Proud of YOU!"

"Believe me sis it was nothing." Ruby said disheartenedly

"What do you mean!? It was incredible! Everyone at Beacons gonna think you're the "Bee's Knees"!" Yang shouted with a smile.

"I don't WANT to be the "Bee's Knees" I don't want to be ANY kind of knee's, I just want to be a normal girl with NORMAL knees." Ruby said abrasively, actually looking at her knees.

"Whats with you? Aren't you excited!?" Yang said maintaining her smile at her sister.

"Of course im excited I just-…I got moved ahead "two" years. I don't want anyone to think im special or anything." Ruby said downtrodden looking down at the floor.

Yang put an arm around her sister. "But you ARE special." She said with a more sincere smile. The holo TV made the room echo with the newscaster's voice. "The Robbery was led by nefarious criminal Roman Torchwick, and continues to evade authorities. If you have any information of his whereabouts please contact the Vale Police Dept. Back to you Lisa." The holo TV changed to a woman with with gold eyes and white hair in a purple collared suit. With a section viewed people with Horns, cat ears, and fox ears holding up picket signs and very unhappy.

"Thank you Cyril. In other news this Saturday's Faunus Civil Rights Protest turned dark, members of the White Fang interrupted the ceremony, this once peaceful organization has now disrupted-" Lavender was phased out as the holo Tv rendered a Woman with blonde hair in a bun with green eyes and glasses.

"Hello and welcome to Beacon." The Woman said firmly.

"Who's that?" Yang asked

"My name is Glynda Goodwitch". Glynda said. "Oh." She Responed.

"You are among a privileged few who have recieived the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy. Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace. And as future Huntsman and Huntresses it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task, and now it is our turn to give you the knowledge and training to protect our world." Glynda finished her speech and her hologram disappeared. The students leaned towards the glas swindows to see the view, approaching the academy. Ruby gasped and "OH wowwww!" ran towards the glass window."You can see Signal from up here. I guess home isn't too far away after all."

Yang put a hand on her sisters shoulder with a shining smile and said "Beacon is our home now."

A blonde boy near the back began to make bolstering sounds and looked ill, he ran past the two. "I guess the view isn't for everyone."

"It was a nice moment while it lasted." Ruby chimed in.

"I wonder who were gonna meet!?" Yang said happily.

"I just hope their better than vomit boy." Ruby said callously. She looked at her sisters feet. "Yang gross! You have puke all over your shoe!" she said loudly.

"Gross Gross Gross-Gross-Gross" Yang chanted as she tried to get it off by shaking it, alarming Ruby.

"Get Away, Ack! Get away from me! Get away!" Ruby started to from her sister as did what she could to avoid the pieces of vomit flying from her shoe.

As the aircraft entered the docking station. The students exited the craft and filed in the building towards the main hall where A man in green with a cane and a green scarf waited on the podium with Glynda GoodWitch. Not too far from them was a figure dressed in black with a hood over his head and in a trenchcoat. And a katana handle in view from his side. In the bustling of the students the mic on podium rang and brought the students to attention. The man with the cane, the headmaster Ozpin spoke. "I"ll keep this brief. You have traveled here in search of knowledge. To hone your craft and acquire new skills, when your finished you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you…and I"ll see is wasted energy in need oft purpose, direction, you think knowledge will relieve you of this. But being here will prove to you that knowledge can only go so far. It's up to you. To take the first step." Ozpin walked away, almost ghost like towards the figure in black. Glynda took ozpin's place on the mic and spoke.

"Tonight you will gather in the ballroom, tomorrow your initiation begins, be ready. You are dismissed." She finished. As she approached Ozpin, he was conversing with the hood. Glynda maintaining a stern expression looked to him, and seemingly nodded to him answering a question.

"He seemd kind of…off." Yang said uncomfortably.

"It's almost like he wasn't even there." Ruby said in the same expression.

"I'm a natural blonde you know." The blond from before said.

Ruby and Yang grimaced.

The end of the intiation came briefly as the teams were announced at it's end. We now arrive at Day 3 almost at the end of the school day of Beacon's Fall Semester. "I can't believe we only have this class twice a week. "Yang said her arms folded behind head.

"Of course it's another way to test us, "Team Assessments" are the school's way of deeming our individual progress." Weiss said assuredly.

"Well we came together to bring down that Giant Nevermore, this ougta be a synch, we even nailed down teamwork decorating our room!" Ruby cheered holding fist in the air.

"Yay Team Rwby." Blake said bluntly doing a small cheer

The girls entered the room that said fighting stage on it's sign. Various teams were already in there. Team RWBY approached team JNPR.

"Hey guys" Ruby said cheerfully.

"Hey." Jaune said happily. "Hey Weiss." He added with a goofy smile. She ignored him of course and took a seat.

"I'm really excited for this class. It's a chance to show how well we work as a team." Pyrrha said cheerfully.

"Yeah Weiss said something about that, but the way you said it was more upbeat." Ruby said bluntly, getting a rise out of Weiss.

"Glad to help get us brimming for this." Pyrrha said happily.

"Attention Students." Glynda said standing at the arena below the students. "We are beginning our bi-weekly Team assesments. Helping conduct these exams will be 3rd year student Cash my TA." We see a person with a scar on his face, dark skin, unkempt hair, wearing a blue shirt. His eyes were black and his demeanor plain. On his side was a katana with a gun trigger on it's handle.

Students began to murmur as they looked at him. "Cash? Wait THAT Cash!?" Weiss said flustered.

"What's his story?" Blake asked.

"Are you kidding, his team's won the Vytal Festival tournament twice consecutively. He's budding pro huntsman that's got a reputation for being possibly the strongest huntsman to graduate from Beacon. Cash…Goodwitch." Weiss said that last part quietly, as things clicked in the minds of all their friends."

"Goodwitch?" Ruby, Yang, and Blake said as they looked at Glynda questionably.

"Nooo waaay, you don't think-" Nora said questioning the name.

"His last names goodwitch." Cardin said with a snicker.

Cash aimed a feral growl at Cardin intimidating him, making his posture slouch, and almost losing color.

"Team RWBY!" The girls perked up right away. "Your first. Lets' go!" Cash said brazenly. Team RWBY walked down through the stairway into the arena.

As they gathered around, Glynda exclaims "Fight well and show what you can do as a combined force."

"Uh is this really ok? It's 4 against one." Yang voiced with concern.

"If Cash didn't have the skill to do this we wouldn't be doing these team assesments this way. Plus I'd have to give him remedial classes otherwise." Glynda said giving a glare to Cash.

"Hmph." He only Smirked.

Glynda walked a ways away to give them space. "Alright. Let's begin." Cash prepared himself. The girls whirled out their weapons and took their stances ready to fight.

Chapter End.


	2. Wind Surfer

Wind Surfer

Team RWBY surrounded Cash in a square like formation, standing still anticipating what he would do. Cash stood in the center eyeing the girls doing the same. This went on for a whole minute, none of the girls making a move, being cautious. Cash grew bored and his expression began to somewhat sour.

"This is someone who's fought people and grim from other kingdoms, showing my skill will show how close it is to his." Weiss thought.

"I've watched the Vytal Festival almost every year, but I was taking finals that day and I only watched it once where Cash was in the finals. " Ruby thought slightly frantically.

Cash looked between the 4 girls with meager interest at this point. With more than a hint of disappointment, he sighed. And dashed making the girls put up their guard but not really seeing where he was going. They all looked back and forth trying to find him.

Yang who had her fists up keeping her guard tight, heard a whisper. "Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey, what ya looking at?" Cash was behind rather close to her ear. Yang shouted and began firing off shots from Ember Celica, he dodged her punches shifting left and right and from his side Weiss went into strike, but he caught her and in slow motion dodged her straight strike from her sword and pushed her head forward making her lose balance and made both Yang and herself stumble over themselves.

Cash Landed near the edge of the ring. Ruby blasted her self towards him with her crescent rose and went in for an attack. He dodged her first strike, keeping limited movement he began keeping pace for her multiple slashes. He continued to dodge her attacks, while making sure to keep one eye on Blake who was waiting behind her teammate.

As Ruby continued empty assaults with her scythe, Cash grunted. "C'mon your not gonna step in already?" he thought as looked annoyed at Blake. He sighed. As dodged a slice from the left from Ruby, he kicked her almost making her fly sliding away where, Yang and Weiss fell over themselves. Blake attacked Cash with her sword, as he went to counter, he hit a black fake, the real Blake jumped over his head to his back, she put her sword in it's sheath. She took the whole "sheath" and swung it at him. Cash looked indifferent as she swung the "sheath" . In the short moment from Blakes sword swing and Cash Eyeing it, Glynda chimed in. "Cash the Sheath is a sword too."

"DAMMIT I FORGOT!" Blakes Cleaver slashed Cash's shoulder and face. His aura took the attack, and he and Blake eyed each other intensely. "You kidding me? That damn things all purpose as a damn utility belt! You're more than just doppelganger generator aren't you?" he said eyeing Blakes weapon.

Blake smirked and raised her weapon as a sword again. A glyph appeared below Cash's feet. "Were more than you realize." Weiss said holding a stasis glyph making him stuck to the spot he was in.

"Yeah." Ruby chirped.

"Payback time!" Yang said. The sisters went in for an attack.

Cash smirked. He took a breath,"ROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR!" A burst of energy erupted from him breaking Weiss's glyph, and making the girls falter from the force. Blake held her ears in pain, whincing even when he was done roaring.

Ruby and Yang regained their footing but their bodies were still shaking. Weiss felt heavier with every move she made to stand. "H-He Destroyed my glyphs." Weiss stammered wincing trying keep her posture.

"What did he do?" Yang asked biting her lip to stabalize her body.

"This is my Semblance. Semblance Break" Cash said as the energy continued to course around him violently. "I can break any semblance thrown my way." He explained as he dissapted the energy. "I've gotta wonder. When you guys took down that Giant Never More, was actual skill, or was it just luck!" Cash said as jumped to the center of the arena, stretching and winding up his arm.

The girls sneered at that comment. As this went on the other students began to get riled at this information. "He…can break all semblances?" Pyrrha asked.

"I don't think all Semblances can apply, I mean there must be SOME limit to it right?" Jaune theorized, as he looked to his teammates Pyrrha could only stay indifferent and Nora and Ren shrugged.

Ruby looked to her sister and Blake, Weiss, seemed to also get the message and stood with her teammates. "We'll show him!" The others nodded. Weiss formed 3 Glyphs around Cash. Then Ruby sped to the one farthest to the left seen as no more than a bushel of petals.

"She's faster than Oobleck." Cash thought eyeing her.

Yang rockets herself to the right glyphs holding on to Blakes tether throwing her to the center. Cash anticipated their movements and made sure not to leave Weiss unnoticed for long. The three behind him began to fire off barrages of shots form their weapons through the glyphs. Cash moved swiftly and began jumping around the arena avoiding barrages of bullets with indomidable speed.

"This was supposed to force him towards Weiss but he's moving like almost like Uncle Crow!" Ruby said firing shot after shot from her Rifle.

"Plan B?" Yang said keeping up attack after attack from her gauntlet guns.

"Weiss put a Glyph behind him!" Ruby shouted!

"What kind!?" Weiss retorted, maintaining the ones she already had out.

"The Black one!" Ruby said hammering the trigger on Crescent Rose.

She put a black Glyph behind Cash, but it wasn't close enough to do anything to him. He did however looked intrigued. Ruby jumped through the glyph she was shooting through and sped towards Cash, in the midst of still dodging bullet fire, Cash spun to meet Ruby head to head, Ruby attempted to slash him but she missed as he moved his head up, she then fired off a shot from her rife and then landed behind Cash and attempted to attack him again. He didn't have to move to avoid this strike just watched the blade swing up in his face. But as the blade left his view he saw the black glyph from before holding the bullet Ruby fired, bearing its momentum. Weiss focused on the glyph and it flung the bullet in the direction it came but straight towards Cash. With it looking like he had no where to dodge this attack the girls smiled thinking victory was theirs, and then the bullet had made contact with Cash. Ruby smirked, but in instant it faltered. Cash's head turned slightly for Blake and Yang to see and their smiles were gone as well. Cash had the bullet in his teeth. He proceeded to spit it out on the floor.

Ruby's jaw dropped and couldn't find the air to even gasp. The other members of team RWBY no better, as they almost let heir weapons drop then and there, granted Yangs is attached to her arms.

The whole class went deafly silent. Nora not being part of the battle was just as awestruck as team RWBY. "Nice. I think a good number of people in my year wouldn't of been able to deal with that." Cash complimented as he smirked.

"Y-Y-y-You…" Ruby stammered. "Caught a bullet in your-MOUTH! That's so awesome!" she exclaimed in a fangirl fashion.

Yang still stupefied said weakly. "What is this guy? Weiss what did you say about him earlier?"

"His team won the Vytal Festival two years running..." Weiss said horrified not even able to move after Cash's demonstration.

"Impossible…."Blake murmured to herself, also scared.

As Ruby continued to geek out over Cash, he got flustered, and scratched his nose. "Anyway. I think that ends this." He cracked his knuckles with a smile on his face. Team RWBY became pale and their stomachs sunk Bass low. Cash launched a barrage of punches and kicks that knocked Team RWBY around and on the ground defeated, depleted of aura.

"Oowwwwwww." Ruby piped as she winced from the kick in the face Cash just delivered her.

"That'll be all for today. You can return to your seats now." Cash said cracking his knuckles. The girls collected themselves albeit bitter returned their section above on their way out, Yang did however eye his Gun Katana. "Next Team JNPR" Glynda said to the balconies, The ragtag group of Jaune, Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha walked down to the arena, retaining their nervous exterior, still intimidated by Cash's skill.

They walked in front of Cash, and brought out their weapons. "Ready. Begin!" Glynda gave the call as Cash readied himself for their assault.

Pyrrha made a bee line for Cash, and attacked with her spear in it's shortened state. Nora followed suit Swinging her hammer from below her, Cash moved his head making the hammer miss and Grabbed Pyrrha's spear as she tried to attack again, Pyrrha struggled to take back her weapon, but his grip was tight and she could not pull it away. Ren jumped over all of them in a spin and fired an array of shots from his Storm Flower Pistols, Cash's aura endured the blows, but he focused on Nora as she tried to tackle him and force him to lose his grip on Pyrrha's weapon, held up an arm to keep her off.

As he maintained his grappling on the girls. Cash looked towards Jaune who was standing in the back, doing nothing but trying figure out what to do. Letting go of Pyrrha's weapon, he pushed off Nora, as he avoided a kick from Ren and charged Jaune. He panicked slightly and put his Shield and sword up. He closed his tightly waiting for the impact. Noticing he had not yet been hit Jaune opened an eye. Cash was spinning over his head and he landed behind him, and grabbed his head. He proceeded to throw him at his teammates. "Aaaagh, guys a little heeeeeelllp!" Jaune screamed as flew to his team. He collided with Ren and Nora as they tried to keep him from crashing head fist into the arena floor. Pyrrha made a way to Cash extending her spear, aiming multiple jabs at him as he smoothly dodged her strikes.

Jaune with help from Ren and Nora picked himself up and saw Pyrrha engaging Cash with him not really retaliating. "It's…still a test. We just gotta show our stuff. Alright Jaune think of something!" Jaune thought as he gripped his sword looking at Pyrrha. He looked quickly at Nora and Ren and a light bulb came on in his head.

"Nora get ready to fire, Ren with me!" Nora nodded and changed her hammer into a grenade launcher. Jaune and Ren followed in after each other to Cash who was still not getting hit by Pyrrha. Ren tried to hit Cash, but he ducked as Jaune went for a wide slash, Cash moved his head slightly to avoid the tip of the blade. Jaune nearly tripped over himself getting next to Pyrrha. This however did not falter him as bumped his shield into Pyrrha's and seemingly understood what he meant, put her's firmly next to his. Ren slid by Cash and jumped behind their shields.

"Fire in the hole" Nora fired a barrage of pink grenades at Cash. Explosions erupted all round Cash, he stood right in front of Pyrrha and Jaune so they did not feel the brunt of the explosions. After Nora's blasts the arena was filled with pink smoke. As it finally dissipated it showed Cash relatively unharmed, he had an intrigued look on his face. Ren and Pyrrha saw this and prepared themselves, while Jaune only noticed seconds later cause he had not looked up yet.

Before they could make a move. Cash held up his hand to them. "That's enough. I've seen what I wanted to see." He said, as Nora didn't get he message until it was too late and finished swinging her hammer down up Cash. It's impact rang out slightly shaking the room. Nora a bit flabbergasted, was held in place with her hammer. Which was firmly planted in Cash's face. He looked indifferent, and actually alright.

"You guys can return to your seats now." Cash said.

"Uh…" Jaune muttered.

"Are you alright?" Ren asked, quietly..

"Yeah. Guys c'mon aura, protects us from stuff, helps us not die." Cash said. Nora returned to the ground, looking him over, but saw that he was fine, his merely dissipated his aura as she moved her weapon.

"O-k…" Pyrrha said unsurely walking towards the stairs, with Jaune in tow, also fazed by the man. Ren only walked away in silence. Before Nora could walk away Cash put a hand on her shoulder.

"Tell me. How many ounces do you put in per ammo?" Cash asked with interest.

"Oh I don't do any of the measuring or anything. I just get some good explosive dust and mixem and pour em in and it makes good'ol Nora's Blasting jelly." She said happily.

"Hmmmmm. Keep it up." Cash encourage, as Nora gave him a thumbs and a smile as she walked with a skip in her step after her teammates.

Cash smiled. "Next Team CRDL." He said loudly as prepared himself for the next group.

It took nearly an hour but all the teams were tested by Cash and Glynda and the students exited for other business or other classes. "So what do you have to say about the new students this year son?" Glynda said fiddling with her Tablet Scroll.

Cash put his finger on his chin in thought. "First Team RWBY. Weiss Schnee, her glyphs are handy and multipurpose and she's decent with a sword, also makes fair use of dust. But her stamina issues make any talent she has be shortsighted. She's paper in the wind in terms of physical ablility. The girl Blake Belladonna, she has a very versatile weapon that comes in 4 forms, which I thought was 3 from what you told me about their initiation. But I don't think she's been in straight up fights much, she's methodic but to a point where she could be putting energy to the workings of the team but doesn't. And the blonde-Yang Xiao Long" Glynda interrupted.

"Yes. You saw how she fights she has no defense. There's no restraint with her unless she's with her team, even if I trigger her semblance I can put her down easily. On the upside she works well with others. I heard she has a nice temper." Cash joked. "Indeed." Glynda said rolling her eyes.

"And the young one, Ruby, hmmmm…" Cash began to think. "A bit reckless, but she's keeping up with people who've been at this longer than she has, thought 2 years is barely a blink in this case. She's not accustomed to being a leader yet, a bit slow to give out commands unless it's in the heat of battle. She'll improve well enough in due time." Cash finished.

"And Team RWBY as a whole?" Glynda asked.

"A bit slow on the approach, but their well synched with each other, with more work they'll find a balance for their attack and defense." Cash said assuredly.

"Ok now Team JNPR." Said Glynda scolling a student list and stopping on a picture of Jaune Arc.

"Oh yes, Nora Valkyrie IS wreckless but she's their heavy, trigger happy, frankly all the wonderful things I enjoy are made of. If she has one weakness it's only her blunt tactics." Cash said with a smile. Glynda looked annoyed.

"Pyrrha Nikos is a stand alone Complex waiting to happen. Why do you keep buttering her up anyway?" Cash asked.

"Pyrrha Nikos won the Mitral Regional Tournament, got top marks in her combat school, and has performed great feats comparable to that of pre-graduate students.." Glynda explained as she view up a hologram showing Pyrrha fighting.

"Glynda, you know prodigies bore the hell out of me." Cash said annoyed. "But she's lucky. The system used by the Huntsmen Acadamies revolve around working with a team. Since she already likes to cooperate and befriend others this weakness of hers will dull, and her teammates will keep her down to earth. Instead of a pedestal." he shot at Glynda, and she scrunched her nose in response..

"Lie Ren, it's as you said he's got the skills and…he's not weak or anything but I think he's lacking a little something extra." Cash said.

"Now Jaune Arc." Glynda Grunted. "He has a good head on his shoulders. He can call strategy well and the others react to him well. Of course his basic fighting ability leaves much to-" Glynda interrupted while callously pressing hard on her Scroll Tablet. "He fights like a first year in combat school, his transcripts greatly exaggerated his standing among the students in other various combat schools." Before Glynda could rant any further Cash interrupted her.

"Glynda c'mon he got through initiation, he was accepted into a huntsman academy in general." Cash urged, Glynda looked to begin again but stopped herself.

"Now Jaune Arc has a way to go developing his own strength. Cause we both believe in the concept," Cash said.

"That a chain is only strong as it's weakest link." Glynda finished.

"So he'll get stronger, and he'll catch up." Cash said trying to assure Glynda.

She let out a hard breath. And focused on the task at hand. "And team JNPR as a whole?" she said.

"They work together well right out of the gate for any situation and with Jaune's leadership can improvise for his plans. Individual skill is a factor, further assessments will infer on what direction the team is going." Cash Declared as leaned against the wall of the arena.

"Team CRDL." Glynda said.

"Work well together, but bad attitude, give'em some of your good'ol charisma and it'll set em straight soon enough." Cash said with with a wink. Glynda grimaced.

It is now night time, students are in their rooms turning in for the night, so they could be ready for tomorrow. We now set on team rwby before they hit the sack.

"He's so COOOL! His semblance beat ANYONE's!" Ruby exclaimed cheerfully looking up the ceiling in bed.

"He didn't even use his sword." Yang said almost bitterly, here arms above her head.

"I don't think that's really an issue…" Weiss charmed.

"He's strong, very strong. Blake said quietly.

"His nick name from when he participated in his second Vytal Festival was the Wind Surfer, because of his proficient use of wind dust." Said Weiss.

"And he didn't do any of that against us." Yang said with actual bitterness.

"Don't worry Yang we'll make him take us so seriously he'll have to get two swords! I really wanna see what he could then!" Ruby said in a fangirl fashion. Her other teammates could only sweatdrop and be daunted by how the girl cut the tension in the room. That in tow the girls laid down in their beds to rest.

Chapter End.


	3. Unbrightled Knowledged

Unbrightled knowledge

We find ourselves in Beacon academy. Team RWBY is walking through the halls with their faces in anticipation. "I've been waiting for this all day, this time we're gonna wail on Cash and make fly out the roof!" Ruby said raising a fist in the air! "Yeah." Yang cheered doing the same.

"I don't think it's gonna be that easy." Weiss said with a worried tone.

"I haven't seen him in live combat, So I think we better take Weiss's word for it." Blake said.

"C'mon you two, with Ruby as our leader we can overcome any obstacle!" Yang said with a wide smile and a thumbs. Ruby with a open mouthed smile did the same as her sister. Blake and Weiss shook their heads as they entered the class room holding the arena.

They took their seats, and started talking to Team JNPR, Weiss ignoring Jaune. Nora was, acting hyper, telling a story. Ren sat quietly reading like Blake, and Yang and Ruby were listening to said story of Nora's while Pyrrha was sitting awkwardly besides Jaune as he was repeatedly shot down by Weiss.

The students came to attention as Glynda walked in with Cash in tow through the door to the arena.

"Attention students Class has now started." Glynda declared as moved to the back of the arean.

"Volunteer if you want go first." Cash shouted to the students. Team RWBY had immeditately junped down in front of him wheeling out their weapons. "Hmmmm, someone's eager today." He said with a smirk, pointing this out to Glynda. While she said nothing in response she did look intrigued.

Cash drew his blade for the class room to see. It was a O-katana length blade, along the blade, attached was a Revolvers chamber make, from the front you could tell it housed 6 bullets. The handle connected to the chamber had a trigger on it, with black grips and a steel finish on the bottom.

"A gunblade, nice!" Ruby exclaimed happily.

"Have we suddenly become "worthy" of the champs full skills?" Yang asked said sarcastically flipping her hair.

"If that's the first thing that comes to your mind, you've lost more than just a grade." Cash warned as took a stance.

Weiss scrunched her nose as she took stance, and Blake drew her sword. Ruby spun her scythe so the sniper rifle facing Cash. Weiss sped in to attempt a lunge attack, Cash raised his sword and blocked, as Weiss tried to push in, Blake ran in behind her and made a lunge with her sword. Cash moved his head left to avoid the blade and proceeded to block both girls swords back handed, their blades in an x as they were pushing against Cash. He gripped the handle and moved it slightly to block bullets coming from behind Blake and Weiss being shot by Yang and Ruby. Cash pushed his hilt downward breaking the X that Weiss' and Blake's swords made and jumped back. Yang shot up in the air and went for a Super Man punch, Cash dodged, and stepped around Yang as she floated in the air from her momentum. He locked both his arms around her, then performed a mighty suplex making the arena shake.

"Aaaaaagggh…" Yang groaned.

"Yang!" Ruby yelled as she ran to her sister. Weiss ran with some Glyphs speeding her towards Cash. Cash dashed in under her sword strike, and moved his sight to Blake. He homed in on her and as he approached she dodged to the left leaving behind a clone, he ignored it and chased after Blake, who again made copy to escape, but Cash did not so much as breath their way and continued after Blake. Unnoticed to Blake Cash sped past her, which resulted in her bumping into his chest. A gasp left her throat as she looked up at Cash stunned at his speed.

"Running isn't going to help you in this." Cash advised staring down at her. Blake blinked in confusion, not quite understanding, as she was still trying to regain herself after Cash outpaced her.

"Yang you alright!?" Ruby said slding to a stop next to Weiss. She spun Crescent Rose and stuck it into the ground with the rifle's end pointing at Cash. Weiss setup a glyph in front of the gun and Ruby began firing bullets Cash.

"Yeah….agh." Yang struggled to say as she gave a weak thumbs up. Blake Jumped away from Cash as Ruby fired bullets enhanced by Weiss. Cash side stepped one shot and began walking towards the girls. As the shots kept coming Cash sidestepped left and right avoiding them, bluring from one space to another. In the mean time Yang had gathered herself with Blakes help, and focused on Cash.

"Ruby, switch with me!" Yang said. Ruby unstuck her scythe from the from ground and jumped away. Yang looked to Blake, who shot out her tether, and gripped it as Yang took hold. Blake spun Yang around and with one hard swing launched her though Weiss's glyph!

"Yaaaaaaaaaggh!" Yang with a furious shout reared back her arm, and began to launch her self one more time with a shot from her other gauntlet.

She threw her punch as strong as she could to Cash. A loud crash rang out, but the students and the members of Team RWBY were awed to find Yang had not been the cause. Atleast from her punch. Cash with his gunblade in his hand, had knocked Yang away hitting her face with the back of his hand. She flew off the side and crashed into the wall.

"Sis." Ruby shouted as her sister fell with a thud, seemingly unconscious. Weiss bared her teeth and raised her sword and Blake drew her Cleaver. Cash put away his weapon.

When they were about to act, they heard a fumbling from the side of the arena, and looked to see Yang putting her self back up. Ruby turned to Cash with a smirk and snickered. Yang raised her head and she erupted in a blaze as her eyes turned red and her hair glowed a bright gold, almost burning.

Cash turned his eyes to her, but did not re-draw his sword.

Yang with a cry launched herself with more force than before, and went for one another air punch, aiming straight for his jaw, but this was not to be. Another loud crash and bang rang out in the room, leaving her teammates shocked at happened next. Cash's fist was planted in her stomach as a fire round from Ember Cilica went past his head with Yang's fist, her eyes still red and her body a glow her mouth held agape as she faltered and fell to her feet but was kept up by Cash's fist in her abdomen. "This is the force from one who's base strength exceeds yours naturally. Remember this pain, and let it thrive for your development" Cash finished removing his fist from Yang's stomach, letting her fall to her knee's. Yang's eye's returned to Lilac and the energy erupting from her disappeared, her hair returning to regular blonde. She fell altogether as her face hit the floor and went unconscious.

Her teammates ran to her side, and tried to wake her. "I think this is done." Cash said walking to the center of the arena. "Good effort, melt some ice dust into her face to wake her up." He added.

"Uh ok?" Weiss asked. Weiss opened up her dust chamber and pulled out two cases that was red and dark blue. "Now what?" Weiss asked, with Ruby and Blake also unsure of what was to be done.

Cash shook his head, and walked to Weiss. "Turn her over." He commanded Ruby, who did as he asked and he took the vials and proceeded to smash them between his hands surrounded in aura, this resulted in a flash of red and blueish light, Cash separated his hands above Yangs head and with a puff of blue smoke, that shifted purple as it vanished water splashed down upon her face.

"Aaaaaagh…" Yang groaned as she slowly came too. "C'mon shake it off." Cash said as he helped pull her up. When she found her balance he let go of her, letting her team ensure she would stay up.

"I've…never thought of doing that." Blake admitted quietly.

"But why not regular water dust?" Weiss asked.

"You've heard of a cold shower for drunks right?" Cash said blandly.

"Oh yeah." Ruby said, picturing her in drunken frenzy. Weiss however cringed.

"Water from ice dust is much colder and makes it the same process." Cash explained.

"Oh, I get it." Weiss said with a nod.

"Why not teach more with words than fists." Blake inquired.

"I'm not down on sermons, but broken bones teach better lessons." Cash cited, as walked to the center of the arena. He halted for a moment. "Next time don't try to one shot me, though." He said without looking at the girls.

"Isn't it the girl that's supposed-" Yang tried to joke

"You can go to your seats now." Cash said quietly while cringing. Glyndas expression turned slightly sour. Ruby urged her into the stairs out of the arena. "Next Team!" Cash barked.

The rest of the teams took their turn and proceeded on till the class ended and Glynda dismissed them. As the students filed out Weiss seemed to be urging her teammates to do something which annoyed Yang. They followed her down to the arena where Cash and Glynda were conversing. When they reached the lower level, Glynda had already started opening the door out the arena. Cash had put his arms up and stretched, with his back to the girls.

"Uh excuse me." Weiss said raising a hand. Cash turned to see them as shifted his neck side to side. "Yeah?" He replied.

"We were wondering-" Weiss Started.

"Mostly her." Yang interrupted.

"Hush! How exactly are the Team Assessments graded." Weiss finished.

Cash stared at them for a moment and closed his eyes. "It's in the name, "Team Margins". Nothing else to it." Cash said, as he opened his eyes again.

The girls stared confused, and question marks popped over their heads. "….Can you add anything else to that, I mean are we supposed to beat you, knock you out the ring-" Ruby was interrupted mid sentence by Cash.

"Beating me isn't the point, fighting me is. Trying to beat me is a bad way to go about this." Cash said making Yang perk up, with Blake.

"But it's just you and a team down here in 4 on 1 fight, we just gang up on you and the rest just happens?" Blake asked.

"Yes. Teammate cooperation is what sets this and your chinks." He took a step towards Weiss. "Weiss you role in this team is limited to mostly supporting, despite your handy uses of your glyphs, due to your stamina issues."

Weiss blinked in hostility. "It's so not!" she said in denial.

"Weiss, Ruby's idea to use that Giant Nevermore to get across the forest may have been crazy, but it got you to the temple. If you tried to run all the way there, you would've died doing it. " Cash declared.

"That might be kinda true." Ruby said reluctantly.

"Is it?" Yang asked.

"Ugh!" Weiss shrilled crossing her arms.

"Blake." Cash turned to her. "The first time I engaged in fighting with you, you didn't follow up with Ruby right away. It wasn't a bad idea to wait for an opening. You see the size of Ruby's scythe, it's a fairly big weapon and it has range. You didn't take advantage of the space behind me and you didn't help Ruby push me to the wall." Cash explained.

"There wasn't really that much space." Blake argued.

"There was enough space for you, and I left it there on purpose. At first I thought "give more chances to close in with Ruby, but I thought it would be better to give you a chance to stretch your thinking. You waited until AFTER your ally was hit to act." Cash finished. Yang and Weiss colored themselves impressed with how Cash explained his method, Ruby seemed to deep tin thought.

Blake was silent for a moment. "I still got a hit on you though." She said. "With luck and the fact that I didn't take you seriously, but once again beating me isn't the point. You didn't have to attack, if you got behind me, a simple fake out could've meant the chance for Ruby to put my back against the wall, and for Yang and Weiss to cut me off." Cash said. Blake racked her brain around the explanation, and closed her eyes in thought.

"Ruby!" Cash said. Shaking her to attention, and blurt out "What?"

"I've seen you shoot, your better than most pro huntsman, you communicate well with your team, granted your slow on getting the action started, I never would've guessed you were the stage fright type." Cash said.

Ruby became down caste and frowned. Yang put an arm on her shoulder. They both knew she had certain performance anxiety somewhat.

"With her around, and your new friends, this can be dead moot soon enough, so just keep working like you have." Cash said giving encouragement.

Ruby smiled and nodded at him.

"And me? Mr. Smart guy." Yang said cockily with a flashy grin. Cash took steps to get in front of her. He pointed a finger at her.

"Learn defense." Cash he said simply, as he walked away from Yang, leaving her with confusion and disbelief. "What?"

"You all have individual talent, this is class is to show how well you bring those talents together and where to improve on them. Lucks runs out, skill will echo. Glynda makes sure to pound that into every student she can, whether she teaches them or not." Cash declared.

"Well…I originally intended to get answers from Ms. Goodwitch yourrrr?" Weiss paused trying to get a reaction in response.

"My mother." Cash said like it was an odd question.

"Your Moooooommmm!" all 4 girls said in surprise.

"Glynda GoodWitch is your mom!? That's sooo awesome!" Ruby cheered in her usual fashion.

"Yes. She is." Cash said with a small smile, turning to the girls.

"Well now we know for sure where the last name fits." Blake said still shocked.

"I mean look at him.." Weiss said as they looked at Cash and compared it to Glynda's appearance.

"Anyway that's all I"ve got to say, I"ll see you guy next rotation." Cash said whisfully as put his back to them again. The girls looked to each other and walked out the class room, with Ruby last. When it seemed they'd gone Cash looked to the exit door and began to walk but stopped at hearing a voice call out from behind him.

"Hey." Said Ruby a bit awkwardly.

"Hmm?" Cash uttered.

Ruby held out a pen and blank paper in front of him. Cash looked bewildered for a moment. He was about to utter a response but Ruby had started chirping;

"Can you get your mom's autograph for me!?" Ruby pleaded in a hyper fashion. Cash grunted at her request, but then gave a little chuckle. He smiled and said "Ok, yeah, I know when I can find her in a good mood." He took the pen and paper from Ruby and she cheered "Yehaaeahhhh!"

"Come early tomorrow to my room "CSHS" in the 6th floor dorms to pick it up." Cash said. Ruby nodded happily and exited the arena as Cash did the same.

The next day Ruby woke early on the Saturday morning and proceeded to look for Cash's room using the elevator to proceed 4 floors up from her own. She walked through the hallways seeing students much older than her going in out their rooms, as she walked down the rooms that started with C's she saw the room apparently was Cash's. After a shrug she knocked and waited. She heard a bustling and footsteps approaching. The door opened to reveal a tall man in a black coat that's collar cover his mouth. His hear was smoothed down and black. His eyes looked cold and almost lifeless. Ruby began to shake as he looked down and examined her.

"Are you Ruby?" he said in a polite manner, and showing more his face, showing he was young, this shook Ruby out her stupor and nodded with a "Uh-huh."

"Come in." The stranger said leaving the door open. She walked in gazed to see 4 beds in the form of two bunk beds, which looked more stable then her own rooms. A desk that had beakers with dust filling them and a few that were boiling and smoking. Another desk housed bullet casings with a black coat on the chair with a white furring.

The floor was covered with bags of snacks. And someone with Feline ears was standing in front of a holo Tv looking like he was playing video games, in a red sweater and darkblue pants. Another person was on the left lower bunk reading a magazine with weapons on its pages. The tall man in black walked to the desk with the beakers of dust and pulled out the chair he picked something up from it and walked towards Ruby.

"This is for you." He put a piece of paper in front of Ruby, that had Glynda's signature on it. Ruby gasped, with a fangirl type shrill took the piece of paper from the and held it up in the air in victory. To which made the unknown male amused along with seemingly the boy reading the magazine.

"Anything else, you got to get here?" the cat eared boy playing games asked.

"Mm, no, but where's Cash?" Ruby asked.

"Boss man's handling a few things with Ms. GoodWitch, before we head out to our mission in 2 hours." The boy with cat ears said without looking back.

"But I must say…you asking for Glynda's autograph really got us in a good mood." The boy in the black coat said with smile.

"Glynda's been good to our Boss and he kinda felt crumby for not being able to be here for her birthday, while were on this mission." The cat ears explained.

"Oh really? That sounds lame." Ruby said slightly dejected.

"Well you helped, when he came here to tell us about a 1st year that wanted his mom's autograph it cheered him right up. He decided to just try focusing on what he could give to her as a gift. I think we all feel that way. My Name is Julius Harway, he didn't give us your name, but it's nice to meet you." Julius said courteously.

"Sig Hall." Sig said still not looking away from the Holo TV screen.

"Ruby Rose." Ruby said cheerfully, she noticed the boy on the couch didn't say anything. "….And your name?" she hopefully.

"Squall." He said flipping a page in his magazine, not looking at Ruby.

"Don't let the late response get you down, Squall was just as happy as we were." Julius said.

"After all Glynda's his mom too." Sig added.

"You and Cash are brothers?" Ruby asked.

"Not by blood, well…we weren't born from the same person I mean." Squall closed his magazine.

"Oh, me and my sister aren't either, so your half-brothers?" Ruby asked trying to get a clear look at Squall. Squall turned to reveal his face had scar like Cash mirroring it, his hair was brown, and his expression cold, and his eyes were blue.

"Wow…" Ruby whispered.

"No, we became brothers in…a "very-different" way." Said Squall quietly.

"Oh." Ruby said with a hint of confusion.

"Squall did you think of anything to get Glynda for her birthday?" Julius asked.

"No, nothings came to mind yet." Squall said setting himself up straight on the bed, revealing he was wearing a white tank top and black leather pants.

"If I was gonna get something for my mom…" Ruby said catching the attention of all the boys. "I'd get her a basket of her favorite flowers." Ruby said quietly, not alert to all she was saying. Ruby shook herself out her moment of silence, and noticed that the 3 were staring at her. Ruby started stammering, while waving her arms around. "Uh-Uh J-Just stick with the basic! …Ya know." Ruby said with a nervous laugh.

After an awkward moment of silence, Squall got up from the bed, his face deep in thought.. "Hmmm, that does give me in idea."

"We'll take whatever we can get, since you're here you want go a few rounds?" Sig finally revaling his face to Ruby showing his spiky hair and slitted eyes both black. He held up a controller.

"Oh my gosh, is that an original Vale produced, Assassin's fighter controller!?" Ruby squealed.

"Yep, I know we can play games with our scrolls, but some things take a more applied tool." Sig said with a gleaning smile.

Ruby took hold of the controller. She stared in silence, gushing over the controller. "You guys are the coolest!" she exclaimed raising the controller over her head.

Chapter end.


	4. 2 time Champs

2 Time-Champs

A tempo of mashed buttons echoed the dorm room, as Ruby and Sig sat in front of the HoloTV, Ruby had a blanket over her head, with a cookie in her mouth, pressing buttons on the controller. Sig, even while sitting stood above her doing the same.

"Ya see kid, controllers not just a sophisticated weapon, for a more civilized time, it's the only way to play!" Sig declared proudly.

Ruby swallowed the cookie. "Teach me more Master Haaaaallll." Ruby said entranced in the gaming she was experiencing. Squall walked in through the door. "They still going at it?" he asked.

"Yes, it's best 24 out of 36." Julius said looking to Squall holding his deceptively cold expression.

Squall took a seat on the desk with multiple dust bullets. A a few more rounds between Sig and Ruby. The door opened, to reveal Cash in a black Trench coat and pants, with a black hoodie underneath. The hoodie has a Grim design that has the head on the hood, the eyes on either side of the hood, and the jagged jaw surrounding the collar, looping between the hoodie strings.

"Time to go." Cash said, bringing attention to his team and Ruby. Squall grabbed a handful of bullets, and pulled up a Gunblade, with broadsword type blade, and a revolvers chamber make like his brothers, but his stuck more to the original design of the gun handle. He also grabbed the coat on the chair and put it on. Sig put down the controller, and opened the bottom drawer under his bed and grabbed what looked like a little white stick and, put it around his waist. Julius got up and started walking to the door, taking a more stalwart expression.

Team CSHS and Ruby stood outside the door of their dorm room, Ruby getting a clear look at them all, gave a quiet "woah", nodding in approval seeing them together.

"It was nice getting to see you all, I hope you'll be safe." Ruby said interlocking her hands.

"We'll be gone for possibly 4 days, but I"ll see you and everyone on Wednesday, for "Team Margins"" Cash said pulling his hood up covering his face, making it look like he was in fact a humanoid grim.

"It's a walk in the park, it's just far that's all." Sig assured her.

"We best get moving." Squall said turning his head to the elevator.

"It's been fun." Ruby said trying to keep up beat, but then gave a small frown.

"You can keep playing along if you want." Sig said pointing his thumb to their room.

"Reaaaallllyyy!?" Ruby asked with glee.

"Yeah just remember too the lock the door on your way out." Sig said as he walked off to the elevator with his team in tow.

"I will! Good luck guys!" Ruby said waving at them. Ruby turned to their room, and re-entered the room cheerfully and began to play the game once again intensely. As a few hours passed by, the teenager, rose her arms to stretch and let out a relaxing sigh. She got up with a spring and proceeded out the door, locking it , checking twice for good measure.

Ruby proceeded down the halls, happily and went on to her business.

3 days passed, and now we find ourselves in the Mess Hall in Beacon. Our heroes team RWBY, were eating and talking. Not too far was Team JNPR watching Nora balance a spoon on her nose.

"And it's so COOOOL, Squall is totally the Blake in their team." Ruby exclaimed. Blake perked up at this, and raised her eyebrow.

"Sheesh Ruby you hang out with these guys ONCE and their the salt of the earth to you." Yang said taking a bite out of a carrot.

"Honestly, I think your getting obsessed." Weiss said, playing with her carrots.

"I am not! I just think their cool, and they were nice." Ruby argued taking fast bites out of her food.

Yang stared her sister for a moment. A bell rang of in her head. "Ruby, could you…have a crush on this guy?" Yang asked, making Ruby spit out her food.

"No! Of course not! That's totally not it! Never!" Ruby defended. Yang continued to stare at her, with Blake and Weiss. "I'm…gonna head to my next class now, I"ll see guys for Oobleck's class." Ruby said taking her tray, and walking towards the exit door. She noticed Nora and lifted her tray up. "Hey Nora, you want the rest of my food?" she said across to the table across. Nora popped to her in puff of wind.

"Don't mind if do!" Nora happily took the tray and began eating like a hyena. Ruby continued to the exit leaving her teammates behind and Nora feasting.

The three girls stared at each other, pondering their leaders actions. "I'm thinking this guy has shady intentions." Yang said with reeling suspicions, plucking a grape into her mouth.

"I don't know, sounds like the guy is just being honestly kind, his team seems to like her." Blake said neutrally.

"One things for certain, he's MUCH too old for her." Weiss said as-of-matter factly.

"I think we don't have to worry about that. Yang's just being cautious. And Paranoid." Blake chimed, that last part in, which annoyed Yang.

"One thing does kind of get me though." Weiss said.

"What?" Yang replied.

"Ruby said Squall was Cash's brother and that they both had the same mother but…when I looked at the Vytal Festival results from two years ago, it said his last name was "Leonhart."" Weiss explained. Both girls perked up and looked at each other, trying to think of what to make of this.

Ruby made her way down the halls, humming to herself. As she appoached the elevator, she saw a man holding a packing, tapping his foot waiting at the elevator, he was wearing a postman's delivery uniform. He looked agitated and was murmuring to himself.

"Dammit, bad enough I'm not sure where to go, all they gave me was the address, and just put the room floor on this sticky note!" the delivery man grumbled. He felt a tap at his shoulder. He looked to see Ruby.

"Hi, need some help?" she asked.

He looked like he set to rant again, but seeing Ruby's genuine urging face, changed his demeanor. "I, uh,…..can't really nail down where to go for this delivery." The delivery man said putting up the sticky note.

"It's a dropoff for Squall LeonHart, I know the rooms in Beacon are identified by the Team Names in alphabetical order, but I'm caught in what floor to go to. And worse, I can't tell if the number on here is supposed to a 6 or a 9." He explained.

"Squall? Hmmmmmm. Their dorms on the sixth floor, but-if you like…" Ruby trailed off

20 minutes later Ruby arrived in a lecture hall, with Glynda Goodwitch standing at the center. "Hurry in students, this class is short to make time, for my class after this." The students sat at their desks and made sure to pay attention as Glynda went on with her lecture on Emergency protocol on Pro Jobs and procedure.

The class short as it was, seemed longer. "That'll be all students, I"ll see you in the room next door, for more "Dust Utility"" Glynda said as she began fumbling with her Tablet Scroll. While sorting through a few files, she wasn't paying attention, when Ruby approached her. When noticed red shoes visible trough her scroll, she blinked.

"Huh!?" Glynda was alarmed to see Ruby holding out a package. A moment of silence, with Glynda not sure what she was doing.

"I believe this if for you." Ruby said with a smile, shifting the box towards her.

"Uuuuuh?" Glynda eyed the package, though unsure put away her scroll and took the box in her hands, she found it surprisingly light. She put it on the podium's stand, and began to look it over.

Ruby peaked around her shoulders to with childish interest. As Glynda walked around the back of the podium to see the whole package, she looked up to Ruby with her usual stiff expression.

"You want to know whats inside don't you?" she asked., but more like stated. Ruby laughed nervously, sweating but still manage to give a nod.

"Well come and see, it's not use standing there eye balling me like I'm hiding something." Glynda said as she started to open the box. Ruby rushed to her side to look, with great anticipation. Glynda let the folds of the package loose and stared down to see a bag with a strap around it and made of leather. It was tan, and zipped up.

"Huh?" Ruby uttered not sure what is was supposed to be. "is it some kind of fashion bag? Well that would make sense, Yang loves those and has a few lying around." Ruby thought removing her eyes from the bag.

Glynda picked up the bag, holding it to her face examining it. "Hmmmmm." She placed her fingers on the zipper and opened it. An explosion came out of the bag, and alarmed the two, as sparkling dust rained down upon Glynda, as the rush of air died down, Glynda opened one eye upon the bag. When it looked like there nothing else going to happen, Glynda almost threw the bag down, but saw a stem poke out the opening. Glynda blinked in confusion, as more stems poked out almost rapidly. In one second the buds exploded magnificently into Petunias and formed a portrait.

Ruby widened her eyes. In a precise coercion of the flowers they formed a picture of Cash and Glynda. Glynda let out a soft breath. She pulled the bag to her face, the flowers covering her mouth. She stared meaningfully at the flowers in a dazed state.

"Petunias…" She said quietly, taking in the air of the flowers. Ruby was keeping a wide smile and gave quick laugh. "I told that idiot, it was no big deal." Glynda said, as it seemed she forgot Ruby was there.

"Happy Birthday Professor GoodWitch." Ruby said happily, as she walked away from the podium to the exit's door.

The next day the first-year students were in the class "Team Margins" facing Cash, some looked a little roughed up, others looked-A whole lot worse. Cash was facing Team CRDL and had heaphones on, while jumping around them, and only blocking with his Gunblade.

Ruby sat up top viewing the fight with a smile on her face, while her team waited for their turn. With a sheath of his sword, Cash ended the conflict, and pulled out one of the headphones.

"You guys aren't lacking in cooperation, though you seem to be limited by your morbid qualities." Cash said lowering his headphone. Cardin growled as he and his team went back up the stairs. Himself grudgingly. "Next Team!" Cash said working his neck, as it cracked. Team Ruby rose up and hurried down to the arena.

As Ruby pulled out her scythe, Cash stared at her for a moment. He gave her a wink and a smirk, as he put a hand on his gunblade.

Her teammates were confused at this, though Ruby smiled in turn and took her stance with her scythe.

Cash drew his gunblade and the air rushed out around him. Ruby charged him and Cash slammed his sword down, pulling the trigger, making a rush of air rise up and caused Ruby to cover her face. When she looked up to see Cash up in the air near the ceiling, she jumped up and engaged him, as he blocked her strike, they smiled at each other. Their exchanges seemed almost like a conversation. Her sister charged up to her, making to tackle him to the wall. Ruby spun her scythe, as Blake threw the tether to Yang, Yang grabbed the scythe end and moved it across Cash's stomach. From below Weiss fired off multiple projectiles of ice, as they homed in on Cash, Blake and Yang tugged on the tether line, pulling Cash towards the wall, Yang stuck the scythe in the wall and Blake put her weight against the wall. He put his gunblade up and swung it down pulling the trigger, making an explosion erupt and blowing all the girls away. Blake and Yang landed hard on the ground. Ruby managed to land with a slide streaking across the floor next to Weiss.

With a spin of scythe, Ruby readied herself to engage the gunblade wielder once again. Cash landed down in front of her. He pointed his gunblade at her, as if making a challenge. Ruby spun her Crescent Rose and slammed the front of it towards Cash. Both cocked their heads acknowledging they were in agreement.

Glynda looked at as her son as he continued to fight the girls. She giggled as she smiled at the boy.

Chapter END


	5. Leaving the Prodigy Uncelebrated

Leaving the Prodigy Uncelebrated

Cash had blocked a toss of Pyrrha's shield. He jumped backed as she went for lunge with her spear. Jaune ran in from his right, and made swing with his sword. Cash blocked it with his gunblade, and forced him back with a hit on his torso. Ren jumped in, and put his blade pistols around gunblade like hooks. Using all his strength, Ren tugged his Storm Flowers up and pulled Cash's weapon up, exposing him. Nora closed on the right of Ren, and swung her hammer. Cash pulled on his gunblade, spun once dodging Nora's hammer and proceeded to ram them up towards Pyrrha who tried to block but was also swept up with Ren and Nora. As Cash continued to Jaune, he took all 3 and slammed them into the ground. Each floated in a corner of his eye.

Cash slashed Ren creating a volley of explosive flares, sending him far out of Cash's sight. Next came Jaune as he was launched in a whirlwind, screaming. Cash unleashed a strike on Pyrrha that ended with her being rolled into a massive water current towards the wall. And as Cash twisted the handle of the Gunblade he unleashed a slash on Nora of….lighting. Team JNPR were collapsed across the arena, Cash spun down, landing with a crouch. He sheathed his Gunblade, keeping his eyes closed to team JNPR.

"Wowwwwww!" Ruby said awed putting on her excited demeanor on her face. "He doesn't just use wind and fire, he's got water, lighting, and what if he has ice like Weiss." Ruby exclaimed.

"Too bad, he didn't know about Nora's semblance…" Blake said, her own demeanor getting pale.

As Team JNPR stirred, Cash stood silently holding his Gunblade in it's sheath. Nora began to rise slowly, gripping her hammer. Cash had not yet turn to her, as her other teammates had yet to recover. Standing with her hammer in her hand and her hair in her face, Nora motioned her head up. Cash seemed to become alarmed of her, Nora let out growl, revealing her face showing a wild smirk and put her hammer in both hands.

Cash readied himself, taking a serious expression against Nora, holding tight to his gunblade. Nora charged, with a speed comparable to his and when she was close enough she swung her hammer, Cash unsheathed his blade slightly to block the hammer, the moment it made contact Cash struggled, but was rigidly flung away as their two weapons grinded against each other. "NORA SMASH!"

"Aaaaaaaagh!" Cash crashed into the opposite side of the arena above Glynda's head. The class was shocked to see the seemingly invincible 3rd year be one-uped by anyone.

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaah! Go Nora, teach that arrogant doofus who's boss!" Yang cheered, punching air with a full smile. Ruby simply stared at the arena, specifically where Cash landed after Nora layed into him. Yang aside, the students remained silent, some still not sure really or not Cash was down. Glynda stared up at the still smoldering crater upon Cash still resided as nothing fell before her.

"Mmmmmmm." Glynda gave the crater her stern look, looking more impatient than worried.

"Nora…" Cash's voice almost sung from within the craters smoke. This made the heads of all the students perk up, and Nora was startled. "You can't hold off the good bit like that. " Cash's head emerged from the crater, he had a what seemed like a maniacal grin on his face, only amplified by his scar. He kicked off the wall to the floor. "You gotta tell me about that stuff In Advance!" Cash roared to the ceiling, erupting in his Semblance Break aura. The energy was dark blue, and without any sort of calm flow to it.

Nora smiled back and readied her hammer. Cash took his gun blade in his left hand, and spun it in his finger. "Roooooooooooooaaaarr!" With another roar Cash took firm grasp of his Gunblade and charged Nora. With a battle cry Nora retorted with her own roar and charged him. With pulls of his trigger, Cash matched Nora's enhanced hammer swings with explosions from his gunblade.

"Oh…" Yang frowned, as she lowered her arms with disappointment. "He's having a party down there…" Yang sat down next to Ruby, who the exact opposite of her sister was immensely happy.

"Guess the doofus still has some surprises ,sis." Ruby chimed, almost mockingly.

While Cash and Nora exchanged blows, her team members had managed to regain their foothold. Pyrrha spectated the fight, seeing Nora hold her ground against Cash's flurry of explosions. Jaune who also was watching, looked to Pyrrha. Meeting her leaders eye she nodded, and ran to the battle. Jaune signaled Ren and followed suit.

The hammer and gunblade clashed once again. Nora's power boost seemed to waring off as Cash wasn't being pushed away, neither quite pushing the other back. The two remained enjoying the exchange, as their wild smirks were still on their faces. Pyrrha jumped next to Nora and made a hard swing with her spear to Cash. He blocked, and took notice to Jaune, he parried Nora's hammer and Pyrrha's spear. Jaune made to strike and Cash blocked his sword, while simultaneously sheathing his own.

"Ok that's enough." Cash calmly said as he poked Ren in the face behind him with his sheath to stop his surprise attack and undid his Semblance Break aura. The members of team JNPR let themselves be at ease. Ren let a ragged breath as he sat on the ground. Cash offered a hand to pick him up. He took it and once he balanced himself, gave a nod in thanks. "If I keep this up, I'm gonna end up enjoying this too much." Cash said giving Nora an acknowledging smile.

"Hmph." Glynda eyed her son with hint of discontent, rolling her eyes.

"Nora, what can I say keep it up." Cash said happily. "Jaune good job on staying involved in the majority of the fighting." Jaune with pants leaving his breath, nodded towards Cash.

"Ren try not to die keeping with them, eh?" Cash joked. Ren gave a light laugh in response.

"And me?" Pyrrha asked eagerly.

"Mm? Oh your fine. " Cash non-chalantly as he inspected his fingers. "That'll be all. Next team." Pyrrha's head lowered in disappointment, as she walked off with her team to their seats.

Glynda placed a hand at her hip, looking at her son with annoyance. "That's it?" she asked.

"You know prodigies bore me." Cash said stretching for his next fight. Pyrrha heard this while going up the stairs and held enough restraint to barely not cringe.

The class ended abruptly, and the students look less worse for ware. The students went to other classes and soon lunch, as we find Team RWBY and JNPR sitting at a table in the mess hall.

Jaune looked rather depressed, Pyrrha tried to maintain her joyful demeanor as she listened to Nora's tale regarding Ursa Rugs gaining a lot of lien. As Ren told it was actually something Nora dreamt, Ruby and Nora took notice that Jaune wasn't listening and playing with his food.

"Jaune, are you ok?" Pyrrha asked with concern.

Jaune snapped out his slump. "Huh? Oh, yeah, why?" he asked.

"Well, it's just you seem a little…not ok." Ruby chimed with her own concern. The whole table gave their expression of concern, as Jaune took notice he did what he could show there was nothing to worry about.

"Guys, I'm fine, seriously!" Jaune held a forced smile and thumbs up.

The friends heard laughter behind them. They all looked to see Cardin and his team around a girl with bunny ears who looked extremely uncomfortable. They were mocking her.

Jaune bared his teeth and fist in anger watching Cardin harass the faunus girl. "Jaune Cardin's been picking on you since the first week of school." Pyrrha said with obvious temperament.

"Who? Cardin Winchester? Nah, he just likes to mess around, ya know practical jokes." Jaune said in denial.

"He's a bully." Ruby declared abruptly.. While this conversation went on, Weiss was filing her nails, seemingly not into the conversation.

"Pfft, Name one time he's "bullied" me." Jaune said with air quotes.

"Jaune if you need help, all you have to do is ask." Pyrrha encouraged.

Nora stood up with a rather deranged smile. "Oh, I have an idea! Let's break his legs!" she said happily.

"Guys really it's fine, and besides, he's not just a jerk to me, he's a jerk to everybody." Jaune defended as their whole group looked back at the sound of a girl saying "Ow that hurts!"

Cardin was pulling on the girls rabbit ears. Team JNPR and RWBY looked on displeased. "Please stop." she winced as Cardin continued to tug.

"Told you it was real." He said to his teammates. "What a freak!" Dova said with a laugh. Jaune got up and left the table with contempt on his face.

Cardin finally let go and the rabbit girl headed for the exit, and looked to be crying.

Outside Cash , without his hoodie and trechcoat, and Sig in a black sweater were walking towards the mess hall. They saw the rabbit girl practically run out the entrance door trying to hide her face.

The two gave each other a look, and Cash pulled something out of his pocket. On the inside the members of Team JNPR minus Jaune and RWBY were still talking. Suddenly the doors bursted open with a fierce wind, and went straight down the hall. The exact section where Team CRDL happened to be sitting. The whole team was spun out their seats, while the rest of the people sitting seemed relatively unharmed. The rush wind came to an end as Cash and Sig came through the door. Cash was whistling the "Kill Bill" whistle.

Team CRDL began stumbling around, trying to regain themselves, their vision blurred so they could not see where they were going, but they were incidentley going towards Cash and Sig. The two smirked wickedly and began to put out their legs.

"WHOOooops!" The boys "accidently" tripped Team CRDL out towards the door. As Cardin was stumbling towards them, Sig put his arms around Cardin and leaned back, Sig tossed him over himself in a suplex style toss. Cardin flew through the doors outside, and half of his torso was implanted in the ground, his team layed sprawled all over the entrance with him.

Cash and Sig laughed as they approached RWBY and JNPR's table.

"He did deserve that, but violence begets violence." Blake said putting down her book.

"Ain't that a beautiful truth." Cash almost sung as took he Jaune's seat, with Sig sitting right next to him.

"It was only a cause and effect, besides, we're lost causes." Sig feigned a tragic expression and smirked as he turned away from Blake.

"Hey Ruby." Cash said, Ruby smiled, but Yang seemed suspicious. Nora waved, while Ren continued eating silently.

"What up?" Sig added, stretching out his arms.

"Cardin's messing with Jaune and overall he's just a horrible person." Ruby said.

'Sounds about right," Cash said, he nodded to the janitor standing by the soda machines. The janitor looked up to him. Cash held up 3 fingers and the janitor nodded.

Cash turned back to Ruby. 'FYI that's nothing compared to what my brother would've done, if he'd seen Velvet like that.' He said as three soda's found their way into his hands.

"Squall? Why?' Ruby asked, raising an eyebrow.

"it's an assured fact, that our boy Leonhart, has a preference for…bunny ears. One I can relate too." Sig said, holding a thumb to his chin. This piqued the interest, of Blake, Yang, and Pyrrha. Weiss continued filing her nails.

Cash passed a can to Sig and held the two remaining cans in front Ruby, a purple and red one. She moved her finger in between the two and stopped on the red one. She grabbed it, and gestured a thank you, opening the can.

"Really?' Yang asked, raising an eyebrow.

'Didn't hear it from us, but yeah.' Sig said sipping his drink.

"I don't think that'll happen often. Humans being with Faunus." Blake said, puzzled.

"Not like she's his girlfriend or anything, he's still playing it cool. For over a year…." Sig growled, with a sour expression.

"So he likes her, or doesn't like her, what going on there?" Nora asked, using her arms as a balance scale.

"In laments terms. They care about each other." Cash said, drinking his soda can, with his eyes closed.

"That sounds nice. A bit cliché, but nice. I'd ship it!" Yang said with a cheesey smile, that left half the table with soured expressions.

"It can be inferred, that Faunus that start relationships with humans are treated for worse in the world. Especially if the human and Faunus marry and have children. " Blake explained.

"Is it that severe?" Pyrrha asked.

"Whether their born from Faunus or Human, those Faunus will be seen as only that. Faunus. There's no in-between, and the Faunus and Human family's are susceptible to being persecuted from both sides, depending on the situation." Blake stressed.

"That sounds awful." Pyrrha said, sadly.

"Man, it really is hard being a Faunus." Yang said, saddened.

"Sig…" Ruby said silently, unsure of what to say.

"Eh, stuff like that don't really relate to me, I've kicked human and faunus ass, made friends with humans and faunus, and really to be human and be with faunus, there's more to it…" Sig said silently closing his eyes thought.

The students looked at him in anticipation, for his words.

Sig opened his eyes fiercely. "Why Just Be with one, when you can be with both! A human lady and a faunus lady, that's the dream-I wasn't kidding when I said, I wouldn't mind a nice pair of bunny ears, with a nice pair of-" Sig was interrupted by a tony slap from Cash. Team JNPR and RWBY had shriveled expressions, Ruby's the most driest.

Sig glared at Cash, as he drunk from his soda can, without looking at him.

"Well ones things for sure, you're a guy worth knowing Sig, I don't care if you're a faunus or not." Ruby declared. Making the expressions around the table omit a common righteousness.

"Thanks kid." Sig said with smile. He held out a fist to Ruby. The two fist bumped, as Ruby gave a peace sign. "Your eyes are totally cool by the way, their dangerous lookin." Ruby cheered.

Sig smirked scratching his nose. "Thank you." Blake also gave a smile.

"Don't get too full of yourself." A voice said from behind Sig making everyone but him and Cash Jump. It was Julius looking, as if was a cold expressionless phantom.

"Hey Julius." Cash said putting his can down.

"Hey." Ruby said happily with a wave. The others except Weiss looked with a grim expression, not knowing would he would do. Julius turned his head slightly, showing his exposed face from within his high collared coat.

He gave a light smile and nodded to everyone. This had calmed everyone down, and they let out breaths they didn't even know they were holding. Weiss however, froze.

She stared at Julius's face. His skin was pale, his black hair was short, and his eyes cold and on the line of lifeless were broadcasting to what she could perceive as a warmth. She admired his handsome features on his face, and felt her temperature rise. Weiss had dropped her nail file, her complexion brightening with her cheeks. Her mouth stood agape, as her face erupted in a blush.

Yang took notice of this, and looked between her and Julius. Before she could voice this concern, Weiss squeaked out a greeting. "Hi!" she said.

This surprised them all except Julius. He turned to Weiss and simply responded. "Hello." He said politely.

Fidgeting, playing with thumbs, she was barely able to get out the words to introduce herself. "I-I'm Weiss Schnee." She said.

"I know. You're the heiress to the company of the same name. I'm Julius Harway." Julius said, with a bow to Weiss.

Weiss's nervousness and school-girl like smile did not go unnoticed to the students at the table. Her heart beat drumming rapidly more than it already was. "I'm gonna go get some food." Julius said to Cash who nodded in acknowledgement , as he walked to the food line.

"Well our Julius, the "lady killer", does it again." Sig said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Well lets hope he lets this one down easier than the other girls." Cash joked, he snickered as he took another sip from his drink.

Weiss swooned, she felt as if she was floating, gravity non-existant to her. Her cheeks red, she let herself fall, landing on Ruby's shoulder.

"Uuuuuuh?" Ruby couldn't find the words, to say how confused she was to Weiss's demeanor. She waved her hand over Weiss's eyes, but she remained in a daze.

'Oh boy." Yang said, examining Weiss. Blake too turned her eyes to Weiss unsure of how to gauge her. "I think Weiss has it bad for Julius." Yang suggested, with a mocking smile.

"As if." Weiss denied still in her state of swooning.

"Pyrrha, you've been around the block a few times, how can we call this?" Yang asked, still seeing if Weiss would recover.

"Uh..well…" Pyrrha gave a nervous smile, trying to peg an answer for Yang.

"Guess you don't accel at everything." Cash uttered, not looking at Pyrrha. Pyrrha fixed her Gaze on Cash, on the surface peeved at his comment, somewhat.

In the hall of Beacon Velvet was walking down the hallway with her head, held down. As she took a turn around a corner, she halted as a pair feet in blacks shoes came into her sight.

Feeling a pair pupils loom over her, Velvet looked up. "Squall?" she said suprised, her voice a bit shaky.

Squall stared at her with his stone cold demeanor, and began to study her appearance. Her eyes had bags under than and looked puffy. Her face looked bloated and her nose red. This did not please him.

"Something you want to talk about?" Squall asked with budding concern, not losing his tack-less exterior.

Velvet brought her head back down, hiding her frowning face behind her bangs. "It's not something you can understand, your not a faunus." Velvet said as she tried to push her way around Squall. He immediately sidestepped in front of her.

She looked up to him with hostility. Squall gazed down back at her with seemingly cold expression.

"When we were young, my brother was alienated from everyone else. He screamed trouble, he hurt people, and what adults would call "undesirable". No one was going to adopt a child like that. He was treated like a monster for what he did and who he was. And ya know what else?" Squall asked, as Velvet's expression was losing its edge.

"I, just by sticking to his side all those years, was also deemed as "damaged goods". All those families that thought about adopting me, scurried away once they realized I had ties to a lunatic. I don't know what it's like to be discriminated by my race or heritage. But I know what it's like not to be seen as a person." Squall finished, as he walked past Velvet down the hallway, without looking back.

Velvet stared after, holding her shoulders, left with her thoughts.

Chapter End


	6. Don't call em champions, call em CSHS

Don't call em champions, call em CSHS

Red leaves flew through the air of a forest of crimson red. The air breezing across the tree's gave a deceptive calm. Cash stood on a tree branch over looking the Forever Fall forest in his black Huntsman attire. His scroll was to his ear, his voice brimming with sordid excitement.

"It looks its quiet on this side, grimm must avoid this place or I don't know what make this part the forest so serene." Cash said into the scroll.

"Things are clear over here, just one King Taijitu that went into a hole dug by the shoreline." Sig's voice called out from the scroll.

"Two Deathstalkers that were actually fighting over a burrow, but nothing else came up." Squall said out the scroll.

"A murder of mid-sized Nevermores, they've been handled, I'm converging on our final location now." Julius reported.

"Ok we've covered our basis, lets hit it. See ya there." Cash said putting away his scroll, and jumped off the tree branch into the red cloves below.

The scene in a small space in the forest, was much different from the space around it. The ground was charred and had traces of soot. There were also half burnt tents with steel barrels and crates next to them. In the center was a tree red as the rest of the forest, untouched compared to the rest of the site. Whats left of a campfire stood in front the tree, long since put out, but the wood seemed to have faint imprints of red.

Individuals in black hoods with white tunics were moving and collecting things from around the scorched camp. As the one who seemed to be the leader, herded them to the east of camp, it showed their faces were covered with the masks of grimm. The backs of their tunics had a panther head, with claw marks behind it all. The marking red. They all had some sort of faunus trait.

A rustle from outside the boundaries of the camp, startled them and looked around too see the source of the noise. Whatever they were carrying or packing they slowly put down, and turned to attention at their surroundings, their eyes looming over whatever crossed their eyes.

The wind blew, clustering an abundant amount of red leaves across the camp. This slightly hindered the sight of the individuals. The wind died down and the red rush with it to reveal Cash in the center of them, he stood in a mugio stance.

The masked assailants, quickly made for their weapons in realization he was in their presence. They pulled guns and spears, a mere instant to them, but for Cash, he saw them coming a mile away. Before their weapons could touch him, Cash scooped up one assailant with his arm and blasted his elbow to the clavicle to one behind him, and bashed another to his right with his fist. He drew his gunblade out and slashed a masked man towards the tree in the center of the camp. The remaining two he didn't hit tried to hit him, but were stopped in their tracks by a black blur blazing past them leaving them in explosions.

Squall stood behind his brother, putting his gunblade to his shoulder. Two of the masked faunus got up from the ground and tried to shoot Cash. Sig appeared from above and brought up his white stick and put one hand above it. The bullets were stopped by a shield. He laid down the stick and it's top extended, a red blinking light extended out of the white stick, the top compressing the light, measuring the length of either brothers gunblades. He were a black vest under a red sweat shirt.

Sig swung the beam towards their weapons and cut the guns in half. In another swipe he knocked one Faunus away, while flipping the white stick, swung at the other back handed. Red surges jolted out the red light with each hit.

Before one of the last two masked faunus could try anything, he found himself rendered unable to move, frozen. Julius with the coldest stare to date, had gotten behind him who knows when. Julius had removed his hand from the back of his neck, and proceeded to walk past him. The last Masked faunus standing took a panic expression as Julius approached her, she kept backing away to the center of the camp. When she reached the tree, branches suddenly wrapped around her, disarming her, and bound her to the tree.

The atmosphere was deadly silent, the 4 stood ready in case there were more Adversaries in waiting. They went lax as almost a minute passed and nothing happened.

"Is that all of em?" Sig asked, returning his weapon to its original state.

Cash stood in thought, trying to be sure they were done. Their heads perked up when they heard the sound of an engine starting. The trees nearby started to rustle with waves of air coming from the south-east of the camp. They looked deep into the forest. At they looked down the rows of trees, their eyes stopped on a what looked like a closing cargo door to an air ship. It was beginning to rise, making Team CSHS focus on the cockpit, and moving to the vehicle.

The airship flew off straight ahead into a crevasse leading in and around the mountains. Squall and Sig spun their weapons making a trail sparking red vapor after the airship. Cash back flipped towards Julius. Julius with a few swift motions, collided his hands with his feet, passing aura into hands, he blasted Cash right into the vapor.

When Cash flew buy Squall he pulled the trigger on his gunblade, and all the sparkles in the red vapor, began to explode and adding force to Cash's momentum, making him fly faster off to the airship.

Letting the vapor guide him, Cash came upon the airshiop in seconds, he gripped his Gunblade and drifted leftward, as he come upon the wing of the air ship he held his sword up and let It cut it off. The air ship immediately began to lose it's balance, the wing left behind in the crevasse. Cash immediately spun over the air ship, as he hovered over the right wing he held his gunblade low and dispatched the other wing. It too flew off into the crimson crevasse. Having no stabilizers, the air ship's pilot could not find a grip on the ship. Cash turned his back to the airship, spinning his gunblade. He flew past the airship one moment, and landed a ways away, stopping his spinning gunblade. While starting to sheath, the air ship barrel rolled passed him, leaving exhaust behind. It crashed in a tree, and proceeded to crash into another, making it seem it was a pinball. Deeper into the forest, the ship collided again and again, as if aware of it's destination, Cash finished sheathing his gunblade. From a lengthy distance, red leaves erupted from a strong impact, throughout the Forever Fall Forest past Cash. He stood in the rush of wind and leaves, as if he was posing for a self portrait. The air died down, and the rain of crimson became light.

"Cash?" Glynda was to his right side with Weiss behind her. Cash let go of his weapon, and looked at his mother. "(So they were camped closer to the harvesting zone, than I thought.) I have a message for you." Cash said walking to Glynda.

"Ozpin said to take up a start from the agricultural district, after the school days done." Cash said, though it didn't seem he comprehended the message. Glynda did however, and took a concerned expression, moving her pupils to the side in thought.

"Were about wrap up this mission were doing, mind if we hitch a ride with you?" Cash asked.

"Cash I have students with me, I said we'd meet up at 4, but from what Ms. Schee's told me, it might be best to get everyone early to ensure their safety." Glynda said nodding to Blake behind her.

"If that's the case, it might be best you have us with you as additional support, i'm your TA after all, I help you with these things all the time. If you can spare the paranoia, I'll make sure everyone leaves safe for you." Cash urged, granted he almost sounded too eager.

Glynda's demeanor turned stern, actually considering this, she felt she was being conned. Weiss stood with confusion, trying to understand the exchange between the mother and son.

"We do…have a little over an hour left." Weiss chimed in, earning herself a silencing stare from Glynda.

She stood there in thought for almost half-minute. She let out a breath through her nose. "You have the hour, but due to that Ursa Major, I'm rounding up the students 15 minutes early. That with the amount of time, It'll take to get together, plus a roll call, should be enough time for you. However, under no circumstance will I jeopardize the students safety, or delay my schedule. You will be left on your own, if you stretch this." Glynda said, pointing her riding crop at Cash.

"Understood, we'll be done on your standards." Cash said walking to where the airship crashed earlier.

Weiss stood silently, as Glynda walked in the opposite direction. Albeit nervously Weiss followed suit. "So…is working with your son, always like that?" she asked.

"I've only had him for 3 years, but it's still like I've been raising him for 5 times that." Glynda said annoyed, leaving Weiss in her dust.

"3 years? Wait how old is he?" Weiss asked.

"20, his birthday came 2 months before you and the other 1st year students came to Beacon." Glynda explained, searching the area for threats, while Weiss followed.

"So you've had him for 3 years. Well that makes sense he's a third year student. Not many 1st years go for TA positions." Weiss reasoned and also dropping a hint on the TA part.

"He's actually only been my TA for 2 years." Glynda corrected, walking up a hill of red moss.

This confused Weiss more as she hurried after her for more answers. "Wait TA for 2 years…but he's been…what for 3?" she asked.

Glynda turned to Weiss holding her usual strict facial expression. She launched a boarbusk in a bush, down the hill they just walked up, with her psychic blast. "My son." She answered leaving a startled Weiss, and with less of an understanding.

As time went by the 1st year students rounded up in front of Professor Goodwitch, and she took roll call as she said she would and all students were accounted for. With nothing to do but to check if everyone gathered a jar of red sap. When she was satisfied with the results, she herded the students to the Airbus that brought them here at the entrance of the forest.

Once they were all boarded she entered last. As the door closed, she looked up too see, Cash and Julius standing in front of a hologram at the window. Sig was next to them, his arms folded at his head, his eyes closed listening to their conversation.

"Hey." Glynda turned her head, to see Squall leaning on the side, not looking up at her, his bangs in his face.

"Hey Squall." She said, patting his shoulder as he passed him. Glynda raised an eyebrow, her eyes set upon masked individuals wrapped in what appeared to be vines, emanating a noxious air around them, keeping them incapacitated. "White Fang?" she thought.

She nodded to Squall, with a shrug. "Air bus had more room." He said without looking at her.

"It looks like we've got no basis, to suspect the commercial district. But I don't think their dumb enough to make another camp to close to an area, with regular patrols." Cash said. The hologram in front of him and Julius was a map of Vale.

"That camp wasn't just abandoned out of necessity, it gave an impression they were driven out." Julius said, looking towards the other window.

"And not by grimm, there were no claw marks to be found." Sig added.

As the three continue to converse, Jaune walked to them. "Uh, hey. What are you guys doing here?" he asked. Cash and Sig looked to him, noticing he looked rather rouged up and his face slightly bruised.

"Jaune. You look like hell. Well done." Cash complimented, returning his sights to the map.

"Thanks." He said, with a weak smile.

"Did you guys come for the red goo, too? It was deliiiiiicousssss." Nora said happily, holding her stomach. Ren who was next to her, gave her an annoyed grunt, as did many others.

"Nah, but you guys are gonna love what Professor Peach does with those!" Sig said with a smile.

In the back of the airship, where the 7 white fang members were tied up, Ruby examined the vines, and the fumes eradiating from it. She looked to extend her finger, as she took 2 steps forward, like a child trying to touch a worm.

"Ruby!" A voice startled her, making her jump back! It was Julius, who was looking dead at her, his coats collar covering his mouth. "Don't touch that! You'll be knocked out for hours!" he said sternly.

Ruby gave a nervous laugh, and hurried away from the captors going passed Blake. Blake for all things, was in a state of slight panic. She looked at the captured white fang, tension binding her to that spot. Her face downcast, she held a hand on her shoulder. Pyrrha noticed this and took a step towards Blake.

"Blake, are you alright?" she asked, with an urging concern.

Blake shook out of stupor. "I'm fine, just getting a little air sick. I guess I have sympathy sickness for Jaune. " Blake said not turning to Pyrrha.

"Uh, if that's true, I"d recommend standing near a window that opens up. Especially if your sympathizing with Jaune." Pyrrha warned, with a giggle.

Blake giggled as well. Pyrrha walked to her team. After a moment indulging her grief, Blake walked after her.

As Ruby stood next to Cash, she looked at the map as well. "What were you guys doing out there?" Pyrrha asked.

"Forging through an abandoned White Fang camp. It was a search and salvage mission." Cash answered.

"We found company though." Sig said.

"I guess it wasn't so abandoned, after all." Weiss said, walking in tow with Yang to the group.

"On the contrary, they were there to do the same thing." Cash, looking to the White fang members.

"It was pretty bizarre though. The place was burned all over." Sig stated.

Blake's eyes widened. "What?" she said with shock, bringing attention from the others.

"Yeah, seems the white fang pissed somebody off, and they got even." Cash said with a snicker.

"Karma. What can you do?" Weiss sassed.

"Find anything good?" Nora asked with interest.

"A few crates with supplies. A bit of dust, but no weapons. A few barrels with water in them. Some laundry, they left." Cash finished, eyeing Blake. "Even found a few black ribbons." He said.

Blake let out a hushed breath. Fear crept into her throat, as Cash eyed her with Sig and Julius, and somehow Blake could the leer of Squall from her back. "So those guys were just coming back for their stuff after they got attacked?" Ruby asked, making the three drop their gaze from Blake.

"From what we can infer, the ones inhabiting the camp were driven out hard and fast, or someone came looking to make a statement." Julius said.

"Deal or no deal?" Yang asked, with a cheesey smile. Making the majority of the group face palm.

"Tents that were burned were left behind, given one that was looked unharmed, but was empty." Julius explained.

"So they were attacked by people?" Blake asked, trying not to bring attention to herself in the process.

"We only know whoever hit them used fire. Our mission was to search and recover what was left." Julius said. A random student had approached Julius, a female. She stood awkwardly, holding something behind her. "Hi Julius." She said with a blush, doing a school girl act. The young girl put out a pen and pad, in the manner of a fangirl, she blabbed out "Can I have your autograph!?"

This took team RWBY and JNPR off guard. Before they think more on it, more girls appeared in a abundance, crowding around Julius, squealing requests.

"Uuuuuh, Julius is popular." Ruby said with an awkward tone. "You guys played like how many shows?" she whispered to Cash.

"And I thought Pyrrha had a fanbase, but this guy takes the cake." Yang said, with an impressed nod.

Weiss right now, was bearing her teeth, and was looking away with a boasting anger at the sight she described as "deplorable".

"You guys must've really gotten a lot of attention after winning the Vytal Festival." Nora said, counting the girls crowding Julius.

"Quite a lot." Pyrrha added, amazed at the volume of girls looking to gush at Julius.

"Well I guess the singer gets the women after all." Sig said, slightly peeved. "We're not just a team of huntsman in training. " Sig bragged.

"Along with winning the Vytal Festival twice-" Cash started egging on Ruby with a smile.

"Check this. Cash and his team are a band too! " Ruby said raising her fists with cheer.

"Ooooh, that's soo cool!" Nora said loudly, with vigor.

"And between the 4 of you, you do what?" Weiss asked, with a begging smile as Yang raised an eyebrow.

"I play bass, our Cash plays drums, Julius sings." Sigs said.

"Like a swan." Glynda said abruptly as she passed the group going towards the mob of girls.

"A swan? Wait do swans sing?" Nora asked, putting a finger to her chin.

"I think they dance." Ren theorized.

"And Squall is our axe man. You've never seen a lion shred before this man." Sig preached, nodding at Squall. Team JNPR and RWBY looked at the silent boy, standing at the front of the ship, in solitude.

"From they way he looks, he seems more like keyboards type…" Yang said, not buying that he could play guitar.

Glynda went into the mob of girls, putting herself in front of Julius give the young students a stern glare. "Alright that's enough, your huntresses in training, act with some decency." She scolded, driving the girls away.

With a few aaaaghs and disappointed sighs, the girls dispersed, leaving Julius with flirts. "Call me!" One girl said as she walked to her team.

Glynda sighed, and turned the boy in black, holding his cold gaze. "Glynda I had it handled." Julius said with a polite tone, that betrayed his expression. Glynda gave him her storming gaze. "Julius you've got to put your foot down with these girls! You don't need this type of attention, you're a sweet boy, but you've got to break a few hearts to find the one you "really" want." Glynda urged, adding genuine concern to the end of the sentence.

"I…only know how to breaks things to them slowly." Julius said, with a convincing tone of disarray, looking downcast from Glynda.

"I won't say, shout it out to the world, I just want you to have something real." Glynda said softly, as walked to the front of the airship, leaving Julius in a cliched crisis of morality.

"Well, I can't say I'm unhappy to see that display of grotesque behavior is over." Weiss said with a nose scrunched in the air.

"Can't stand the competition?" Yang jabbed, with a smirk.

Weiss pouted, her cheeks inflating, sticking her nose in the air.

Weiss focused on Julius. She put her arms around her stomach, then begun walking towards Julius. Yang and Blake watched with interest, as Weiss kept her gaze downward approaching Julius. Cash and Sig took their eyes upon them, neutral to the predicament.

"Uh, hi, Julius." Weiss said, her face blushing, not even looking at him.

"Hello Miss Schnee." Julius said, somehow with even more politeness than normal.

Weiss got more red, and fidgeted. "I-uh, Weiss will do, we're both future huntsman after all." She said nervously, taking repeated glances at Julius.

"If I may, though in exchange, I must insist gifting you this to make things even." Julius, extended his arm to Weiss's head. Weiss's heart began to beat dramatically, as she started to panic at the contact. Though as quick he extended his hand to her, he retracted it. Weiss calmed down enough to notice, something small and light on her head.

"I could think of many flowers that clash with your hair, but in your in case I thought I could be straight forward." Julius said softly, holding a white flower. One exactly like the one placed in Weiss's hair.

Weiss looked at him, shook to her core by the small smile he gave her. She moved her gaze aside, to keep her composure, still holding the part of her hair with the flower.

"It's no big deal. I just prefer Weiss as all, thank you very much." Weiss said, smiling to herself, with more delight than anyone was used to seeing. This development caught the eyes of Team RWBY and JNPR, all raising an eye brow to the situation, with Cash and Sig.

"Wow…it's like people with you, but reversed." Cash said, to Pyrrha, mildly shocked.

Pyrrha leered at him, tempering herself, but still sported a frown, feeling a twinge of bitterness.

As time went by, the airship reached Beacon, once docked, the students exited the airship. Filing out various female students made passes at Julius, who was doing his very best to be polite to them. Weiss while appalled by this display before, was still in her bliss caressing Julius's flower.

Sig carried out the captured white fang over his shoulders making sure the gas from the vines did not hinder him, his team with Glynda followed suit.

"Sig you can leave them here, I"ll take care of it." Glynda said, catching the attention of her sons and Julius.

"Uh Glynda, we kinda gotta do this upfront, I mean we went for the spare supplies but-" Cash started, but Glynda held up a hand halting him.

"I'll make sure this mission is counted as complete and done, or you don't think I'm capable of handling this?" Glynda challenged to her son, narrowing her eyes at him. Cash flinched, and Squall grunted. Sig put down the white fang, and dusted off his hands.

"Ok, no insult intended, we just wanted to handle this diligently." Cash said holding up his hands in defense.

"You'll get payed, I've instructed the ships pilot to drop off the cargo you brought on at the police station. And before you ask I"ll handle them." Glynda said nodding to the white fang. "You boys did good work, the police might be able dig up something from that train robbery a few months ago." She said.

Not too far off, Blake was walking with Weiss, Ruby, and Yang, with team JNPR. She flinched upon hearing the words Glynda spoke. She grew nervous, as sweat went down the side of her head, walking off with her friends.

"I guess, we can call it quits. Thank Glynda." Julius said, walking away to the academy entrance. "Have a nice night Julius." Glynda replied.

"If we're done." Squall said with a shrug walking after Julius, putting his hands in his pockets. He stopped suddenly. "Good night, Glynda." Squall said not looking back.

"You too Squall." She said, looking at his back as returned pacing after Julius, with concern.

"Well that says it all, time for more video games, Ruby's starting to climb to my scores." Sig said leaving Cash and Glynda behind. She could only shake her head.

Cash followed suit, but was stopped by a word from his mother. "Cash." He turned around to look at Glynda holding on to her tablet scroll. "You said you would decide soon when you would take time off." Her finger tapped on the scroll repeatedly.

"I will." Cash said, starting to walk down the courtyard.

"Cash." Glynda, called out, making him halt again.

"I'm not going back on our agreement. I have tests too. I won't fail." Cash said, looking at his mother. Through the hood she could see his honest face.

She nodded, and he proceeded after his team. As day fell to night, Vale lit up, it's cities bustling with those of the night life, of dance clubs, and night traffic. Though not all bustling was in neon lights. Somewhere in Vale a young white fang soldier was in a room, illuminated by a single ceiling light, with only two chairs and a table. He was the only one inside, the front of the room decorated with one-way glass. He sat there for minutes, tapping on the table, whispering to himself. At the sound of footsteps, he perked up, taking shallow breaths. On his back left, a door. The footsteps came closer and closer, finally after 10 seconds of waiting, it opened. Trying not look directly at the arrival, the white fang soldier tried to look at his clothes. A green suit and scarf, with black shoes. As he looked to his hands he saw a cane, and looked up enough to see the green glasses he was sporting.

The man hummed as he took a seat in the other chair. The white fang member took a scowl, trying to look intimidating. This did not shake the arrival, as it was Ozpin.

Looking the white fang member in the eye, he studied him, putting his cane against the table.

Putting his elbows on the table Ozpin started off the exchange. "So….was camping in Forever Fall, the fun you all thought it was?"

For Fall to end in fire, it first must begin with Cinder.

CHAPTER END


	7. The Guardian's Tragedy

the Guardian's tragedy

In the Wednesday portion of the "Team margins" class, Cash in more standard clothing, a dark blue shirt with black pants, was engaging in battle with team RWBY. He was exchanging a few slashes with Ruby. She spun her scythe, and unleashed a wide arc up to Cash. Suddenly, Blake stepped next to her and swung her blade with Ruby's. Cash had caught both, holding them back with his gunblade, smiling. Ruby and Blake jumped out of the way, Cash looked to the front him to see Yang and Weiss. They begun to fire volleys of fire and ice. He extended his gunblade, with a pull of the trigger, Cash had began to spin his wrist, as the blade followed, air circled tracing the blades movements. The ice and fire projectiles were swept up into the cyclone and as they gathered together the fire melted the ice, and the flames covered the blade. With one flip, he swiftly sheathed his gunblade, casting the fire away into his sheath.

Ruby was awed by this display of skill, and Blake inspected the feet with interest herself. Weiss leered at Cash, and used the myrtenaster to stab the ground. Baring her teeth Weiss formed a black glyph under Cash. Yang reacted quickly. She charged Cash, going for a punch, Cash caught her fist. Yang with a roar reared back her other arm, applying more force she pressed her fist towards Cash's clavicle. He caught that fist, and Yang began firing shots from her gauntlets. Cash with a neutral expression moved Yangs arms upward, as she continued firing off, not finding the strength to leverage her arms down. Cash let himself go lax as he kept hold of Yangs knuckles. Yang bared her teeth hard as she continued to try to push Cash, and tried to wring her wrists free of his hands. As this went on Cash's expression soured, upon closer inspection of the situation, it was noted he was putting up no real resistance, any and all efforts were simply keeping hold of Yang's fists, the only thing keeping Yang from pushing him back, was Weiss' glyph.

"(You still don't give much thought to forethought, do you?)" Cash thought cynically at the young blondes barmy tactics, if not with pity. With a sigh, he let the continuing struggling Yang go. "Waaaaagh!" this caught her off guard and she nearly slipped flying back, after a few steps she regained her balance.

Weiss pulled her sword from the ground, with a hint of frustration. Ruby looked at Cash jarring her brain in thought. As something clicked to her, she signaled Blake to follow, as she moved with her semblance to Weiss and Yang. Cash looked at the girls, unable to hear what they were talking about. The black glyph at his feet disappeared. The girls stood on each others sides, with their weapons ready. Cash gripped the handle of his gunblade. "Now Weiss!" Ruby commanded. Weiss in graceful swings of her myrtenaster glyphs formed in a circle around Cash. Immediately the girls sped into the glyphs, revolving around Cash in blurs. Cash's eye moved as they did, eyeing each of them that went in his view with a smile. He took a more ready stance.

"In moments like these, a poem comes to mind…In a blaze, in a fury, the typhoon scoffed at this dreck and the challenge it represented." Cash cited calmly. Team RWBY each came to halt to a glyph, stopping at intersections of the circle. With a roar they all charged going for a slash, punch, or lunge. Cash begun to draw his gunblade, the girls less than a foot away from him, he pulled the trigger.

A tornado exploded into being covering the glyph circle that Weiss created. In the winds that raged whipping up dust, picking up speed.

"Can a rose petal ride the wind!" Cash howled from within the tornado. The students looked in shock, unharmed thanks to the barrier between their seats and the arena. The tornado began to fade, as the air died down, Blake, Yang, and Weiss came flying out of the tornado to different sections of the arena crashing into the wall. Cash somersaulted downwards to the center where they converged on him, holding his sheath above his shoulders, he sheathed his gunblade, and stood straight not looking at the girls down upon the floor.

Silence filled the room, Glynda was beating off her skirt. Looking up for a moment re-arranging her curl, she flinched. Her mouth stood open, gazing at the ceiling, the sun peaking out of the sky light.

Cash felt something bear down on him, and looked up, his eyes widened, fixing his gaze upon Ruby, who was rearing back her scythe, holding a look of a wild beast, she descended down with a boom.

"Hell yeaaaaaaaaah!" Ruby screamed, speed increasing as she started to put more force in her scythe.

As she approached Cash, he took a mad smile, cackling seeing Ruby approach him, like a hawk to a snake. As Ruby went to swing the scythe blade to cut Cash. Cash drew his gunbalde, and the impact of both blades sent Ruby flying back out, and caused a gale upheaval of wind. Ruby lost her grip on Crescent Rose, and glided through the air for a moment, and made a pit fall to the floor. Ruby flailed without the strength to brace for her fall, but right as she was merely a yard from the ground, she was propped on the handle of her Crescent Rose. Cash held the scythe, he carefully placed Ruby on her feet, while still out of it she put both hands on the scythe, stumbling slightly. Cash grabbed one of her Ruby's hands, and rummaged through his pocket. Turning her wrist up he put something in her hand.

"Ruby." Cash said shaking Ruby to hold onto consciousness.

She stared at him for a moment uncomfortable with him holding her wrist. "I'd have you on my team anytime, no doubt you could be one of us, you've got that kinda crazy that legends are made with." He said with a smile letting Ruby's hand go. Cash walked off with a smile on his face.

Ruby looked at him in confusion and looked at her hand. In her hand lie three dust vials. One bright red, one lime green, and one Horus White. Her team gathered around her inspecting the dust incubators and looked at Cash.

Glynda narrowed her eyes at the dust vials and let a scowl broadcast on her face for a moment thinking on Cash's actions. "Alright girls you've done well, you can return to your seats. Next Team!" Glynda called out, as she glared at her son.

Ruby regained enough footing to walk without using her scythe as a prop. She walked with her team back to their seats. Upon coming up, she was still weary and winced at the light from the ceiling.

"That was cool Ruby!" Nora shouted arms raised in celebration. This startled her, she almost fell on a seat. Team JNPR was walking to the stairs to the arena.

"No one saw where you gone, after that wicked tornado! How did you do it!?" Jaune asked excitedly.

"That was impressive Ruby, well done." Pyrrha said cheerfully, her team walking past her.

More compliments were showered upon Ruby, from various students, giving her thumbs up and a ring of claps in her honor.

Ruby looked down to the floor, her joy plastered all over her face, a blush added to her widening smile. Her team looked to her in silence, but all the more happy for their leader.

Ruby gave her thanks, almost on the brink of tears, keeping a hand to heart. Yang couldn't more proud to see her sister shine. "Bee's knees." She whispered.

Weiss inspected the dust vials, fumbling with them eyeing their texture. "I better have someone check these out thoroughly." She said.

Team JNPR stepped into the arena, each bringing out their weapons in front of Cash. Cash spun his gunblade by the trigger and held it in place behind him.

"Don't think using your sword like a baton gonna stop us!" Nora challenged raising her hammer. "Pyrrha's weapon is a sword baton, gun, rifle and spear put into one. "

Cash inspected Pyrrha's weapon for a moment. It was in its shorter state."….It. Still looks like a spear." He said awkwardly.

Pyrrha gave a nervous laugh, feeling awkward of the atmosphere Nora set. The students turned to a cough from behind them. Glynda sported her no-nonsense demeanor, to which team JNPR became more serious.

Cash rushed at Pyrrha gunblade still spinning, She put her shield up, as the gunblade kept on her like a buzzsaw. Cash slowly pushed her, sparks going off from Pyrrha's shield. Pyrrha shook from the constant force of Cash's weapon, unable to push back, noticing this Jaune called out to Ren. He immediately began shooting at Cash, ducking under a few shots, he walked around so that he could be shielded by his gunblade. Nora switched her hammer to projectile mode, and this set Pyrrha's mind a jolt.

She planned to upsurp Cash's gunblade with her semblance, and shoot him to stun him long enough for Nora to fire her grendades. Pyrrha lazed her arm and let her shield drop, and intently focused on Cash's gunblade. As he pushed forward, Pyrrha concentrated her power to shift the gunblade off course, and just as she moved her spear to shoot, she blinked in surprise seeing Cash continued on with his hand, leaving his gunblade behind. Rigidly Cash hit Pyrrha's face with the back of his hand, making her fall off to the side, this was not the only fumble in her plan, Nora seemed to think as her and launched her grenades. But upon seeing Pyrrha getting hit Nora flinched, her grenades flew right at Pyrrha as well as Cash.

Pink explosions covered them both. "Pyrrha!" Nora called out through the pink smoke, her teammates looked in panic. As the dust settled, it revealed, Pyrrha on the ground with swirly eyes and Cash standing unharmed, observing his hand. He looked in confusion, scanning his hand. As he continued to stand in thought, he caught his spinning gunblade, and sheathed it. The rest of team JNPR went to Pyrrha checking to see if she was fatally injured.

"Take a minute, I think even I got ruffled after that one." Cash said inspecting his hand.

Pyrrha shook herself out her stupor, and placed herself back up, weapons ready. "I can still keep going. C'mon!" Pyrrha said glaring at Cash, who wasn't looking at her.

"Wait a bit, would ya." Cash commanded still looking at his hand.

Pyrrha narrowed her eyes at him in contempt. Twitching she gripped her spear and shield."(You will acknowledge me.)" Pyrrha thought. She took a step forward, and suddenly a pop went off in the arena. Cash had slammed his hands over Pyrrha's ears. With an annoyed scowl he removed his hands, and Pyrrha dropped her weapons, and put her hands on her ears with a pained look on her face.

"Wait I said. Take it as a compliment, you've managed to ruffle me for once." Cash said, looking at his hand again. Pyrrha, stared at him, the pop from earlier echoing in her ears, painfully glaring at him, bearing her teeth.

Her anger began to boil as she watched him stand non-chalantly, at her pain. "Honestly after I saw Jaune the way he was on the air ship I thought it be him." Cash said, catching Jaune off guard amidst the uncomfortable atmosphere set by Cash and Pyrrha felt by his teammates. Pyrrha bared her teeth, used her semblance to return her weapons to her hands, and lunged her spear at Cash's neck.

This shook her teammates and almost Glynda, but Cash stood still, and less than intimidated. Aura blocked the spear's tip on his flesh. He put his eyes towards Pyrrha. "You seem to be impatient today." Pyrrha lifted up her spear to strike once again, Cash immediately unleashed a punch to her jaw. Pyrrha endured the blow and made to attack, but was stopped by a headbutt from Cash, and fell back. Her aura shimmered out.

"You don't have enough aura for this right now, try hanging back, while your team covers you. That is if your leader thinks it's a good idea." Cash said, egging Jaune on, pointing his eyes towards Glynda, who was gauging the situation without prejudice.

"Pyrrha." Jaune called out. Pyrrha perked up hearing him. "Let your aura recharge and we'll cover you, for right now." Jaune commanded taking a battle stance with the others, aiming their weapons at Cash.

Pyrrha looked down in frustration, bearing her hand into a fist. Angrily she clenched her jaw, shaking at the situation she was in.

Well after the class, the students were in the mess hall. JNPR sat mostly talking among each other, taking sips of tea Ren brought to them. Pyrrha look down at the table with a jaded scowl, in silence.

This did not go unnoticed by her teammates. Having enough of this, Jaune decided to be the one to engage.

"Pyrrha, are you ok?" he asked full of concern.

Pyrrha was full of thoughts of her past interactions with Cash, and his responses. He did not look at her the same way he looked at all the other students In and out of class. Pointing a teams strengths or weakness's, complimenting on their skill, acknowledgement that he could struggle by their efforts, and relishing in their power showing one warriors resolution to another. However when faced with Pyrrha, time and time again he reacted as if he was crossing a chore off his list or shooing a fly. Like she was a boring book.

"Pyrrha?" Jauned called out again.

This snapped her out her train of thought and looked up to see her team staring at her with worry.

"I am-" Pyrrha started putting on a fake smile, but then noticed Cash come through the door with his team, she watched as they proceeded down the tables. Her face immediately turned into a frown. Team CSHS walked towards Team CRDL which, their presence made the 1st year team clam up from what they were doing. Without looking at them the third years proceeded down the aisle, though Cash kept on eye on Cardin, who especially was docile.

"(Seems he's begun to become tolerable lately, wonder what changed.)" Cash thought, as he walked away.

Pyrrha bared her teeth. "Even Cardin!?" she thought angrily, almost shrilling watching the gunblade wielder. A piece of wood on the table top they were sitting at was chunked off in her hand, startling her teammates.

"Pyrrha whats the matter!?" Jaune asked.

She tried to calm herself down, but began trembling gripping the wooden mass. She felt insulted, she had left her mark on opponents filled with contempt and awe alike, such as the Mistral Regional tournament. From Cash she had neither, like a menial task to do for a cheap reward. She hated feeling this way. Something clicked in her mind and Pyrrha got up, from the table, her teammates still calling out to her. Furiously she began walking towards Cash's table.

"(Do you think I asked to have compliments served to me on a silver plate!? Like being better than everyone else is it, cut and dry!? To be praised for being ONE notch above others "All The Time!" I know I can get you to not write me off, you WILL see me! My identity isn't so shallow!)" Pyrrha recited finally reaching Cash, who was indifferent to her march to him.

Sig, Julius, and Squall looked in between each other, unsure of what purpose she had with them. Pyrrha glared at Cash, almost burning a hole in his forehead.

"Fight me!" Pyrrha demanded, pointing a finger at Cash.

This surprised him and his team a bit, and earned a snicker from Sig, while Julius remained silent, and Squall returned to eating.

"If I may be so bold, what about me has gotten your attention? Also, you won't hold back this time?" Cash asked mockingly, with a fork in his mouth.

Pyrrha narrowed her eyes increasing the hostility of her glare. "I don't like your face. And if that's the case you better fight me seriously." She said. This did not go unheard by the surrounding students of the table, including the section behind her. Sig snickered louder, while Julius looked Cash, and Squall grunted while chewing.

Cash smirked, the surrounding students talking in the background, looking at the conversation between the two in interest.

"Julius, how do students go about settling personal confrontations in Beacon." Cash asked Rhetorically not looking at Julius.

"With a Faculty Huntsman supervising, the students are to engage in an official sparring match." Julius explained, his eyes closed, his demeanor neutral.

"Right, so next time I see-" Cash was interrupted mide-sentence by Pyrrha.

"I"ll handle it." She said firmly. "You just bring your best, or don't waste my time." Pyrrha walked towards the exit, with her team following in a rush at the actions she just took.

The students inhabiting the mess hall were in a myriad of talks, adding to the anticipation to the air.

Sig gave a hardy laugh, and smiled to his leader. "I think this how I oughta start my conversations with women, seems to work with you." He joked. Cash playfully hit him in the stomach. "Oh shut up." Cash said with a scoff.

"Cash." Julius chided, turning his head towards him.

"I know. I will handle this seriously. She'll do no less this time." Cash assured taking a sip from his drink.

Squall continued to eat in silence, with indifference to his brother.

Team RWBY minus Blake was rounding a corner, and was heading to a door. Said door bursted open with Pyrrha exiting out, holding the same scowl she had at Cash before. The girls did not get to utter a word, before she proceeded into corner they just came from.

Confusion on their faces they turned to the door way, Ruby went in first and slowly opened up the door, showing Glynda Goodwitch sitting in her desk chair, her office decorated with shelves and papers were stacked on top of her desk with files, the desk itself was mahogany. The walls were white and the carpet was blue. One shelf had a bag with petunia's laying where the sunlight could bath them from the window.

Glynda herself had a grimaced expression on her face, and seemed distracted. "Um, Proffesor GoodWitch?" Ruby said. Glynda's attention turned to the girl and her team who entered with her.

She sighed. "Yes."

"We, were wondering…is this really-" Weiss started.

"A sparring match, with vytal festival rules, has been requested by Pyrrha, at a specified time after classes and tutoring sessions, Ms. Nikos and Cash Goodwitch will fight in the arena floor." Glynda thoroughly explained, putting away her grim expression.

"Did she say why?" Weiss asked.

"None of my business, and while I could say the same to you, I would just go ask her yourself." Glynda said picking up a paper off her desk inspecting it.

"Well doesn't matter to us really? It was just sudden." Yang said.

"People are betting lien from their piggy banks for this." Ruby said with excitement.

"Well Cash did win the Vytal Festival for two years, but Pyrrha's won the Mistral Regional tournament for 4 years. That's since she was 13!" Weiss exclaimed, with her own budding excitement.

Glynda dropped the paper in her hand. "No, no, no, girls, listen. You can't compare the way Pyrrha and Cash followed up in their life, not even close, it was totally different means of development on their parts." Glynda explained.

The three blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

Glynda gave an uncomfortable nudge on her nose and took a breath. "Cash grew up, street fighting and underground venues for money since he was 13. Two men enter, one leaves." She said with a saddening demeanor taking to her face.

The girls widened their eyes, felt their mouths go agape. "So, this is commonly known?" Weiss asked.

"You three are 1st years so you wouldn't of known for awhile, Cash's history and past doings before coming to Beacon are available in the Hall of records for public viewing in the database, and hard copied in the building in east Vale." Glynda said with a hint of regret in forming in her throat.

"This was unexpected, didn't think the doofus had a criminal aspect to his identity." Yang said putting a thumb on her chin in thought.

"It would explain that dust he gave to Ruby…" Weiss said.

Ruby looked at her teammate questioningly, to which Weiss took notice. "Ruby that stuff he gave you, was high demolitions grade, and wherever he got it-" Weiss began.

"He made it." Glynda interjected, catching the girls off guard.

"He…made those!?" Weiss questioned, trembling.

"Girls unless you have a request for an exclusive sparring match too, I think it's about time you go about your business." Glynda suggested, holding her standard temperament again.

The three girls looked at each other uncomfortably, with a nod to Glynda, exited the room.

Room JNPR

Pyrrha walked the room, seemingly more calm, Jaune in tow, who couldn't look more worried. With an exhausted breath, she plopped herself upon her bed.

"Well done tonight Jaune, you did seem a bit distracted though." Pyrrha said with a smile.

"Me distracted?" Jaune responded. "Pyrrha why did you challenge Cash like that? What did he do to you?"

Pyrrha let her head fall, moving her hands to her lap. "This is between me and Professor GoodWitch's son." She said brazenly.

"Nora thinks otherwise, she's going all over Beacon trying to get information on Cash for you for the fight tomorrow." Jaune said.

Pyrrha gasped, and put a hand on the back of her head. "Oh-Oh! She needn't do that, I can handle this."

"If Nora goes, threatening peoples legs, your gonna have to answer for a lot of hospital bills." Jaune joked sitting in his bed. Pyrrha let out a giggle. Jaune sat on the bed next to Pyrrha, he changed his expression to a more worried one.

"It's not so much as what he did, as what he isn't doing." She said.

"I just want to make sure your ok." Jaune said putting a hand on Pyrrha's shoulder.

"It's a matter for tomorrow, time for us to get some rest. You worked hard tonight." Pyrrha got up from the bed and walked to her closet.

Jaune let out a sigh, and turned his eyes to his feet. A moment of silence was all that went by before, he heard a cough from Pyrrha beckoning him.

"Jaune it's not like I don't trust you, but if you could turn around." Pyrrha requested holding on to a shirt in the closet rack.

"Auaaagh!" Jaune fell over onto the floor, with nervous precedence. "I'll…just stay down here, until you finish." He said with a grunt.

Pyrrha giggled, letting a smile grace her mouth.

As the night came and gone. The day proceeded at it's usual pace, the students were ablaze with talk of Cash and Pyrrha's match.

"Cash and Pyrrha Nikos!? I'd pay see that fight!" One student said walking through the halls with a friend."

"Cash's win in the Vytal festival, as compared to Pyrrha winning the Mistral Regional Tournament 4 times, gotta think on that."A student said.

This is gonna be epic, Pyrrha cleaned house in last years Mistral regional tournament and Cash is a damn surgeon with that gunblade, and it's a katana blade too." A student said walking out the mess hall.

In the halls of beacon tower, Ruby was walking with Squall who looked rather cold on the surface, but was comically annoyed on the inside.

"So is Cash nervous for the duel later, I haven't seen him all day?" Ruby asked.

"The only thing that makes him nervous is Glynda, when she works his ass to get high grades." Squall said, his back to Ruby.

Ruby giggled. "It's not easy having a teacher for a parent, huh?" she joked.

"For the older sibling maybe. I, on the other hand, get away with murder." Squall said with an arrogant tone.

"You're the younger one? Cool." Ruby said, giving him a thumbs up.

"Not by much, he's helping Glynda right now, so you won't see him for maybe one more hour." Squall said turning a corner.

"Is that so? I guess…" Ruby trailed off.

Squall turned his head to Ruby listening for what she had to say. "So, uh I was waiting for Cash to ask about this, um-" Ruby started, fidgeting.

"I'd appreciate if you kept on like that. He'll want to tell you himself, about all the things he done before and after combat school, criminal or just plain embarrassing." Squall interrupted, continuing for the end of the hallway. His voice had the slightest hint of encouragement.

Ruby smiled, and paced up to Squall and pound hugged Squalls hand. This caught Squall off guard, but he pound hugged her fist in response.

Ruby's face couldn't be full of more cheeriness. "So you think Pyrrha can win this?" she asked. The two had approached the balcony looking at the courtyard.

"She isn't going in there to win." Squall stated.

"What? Thanks makes no sense." Ruby said, confused.

Squall leaned back on the railing, as he walked to the balcony. "It's not always about what you get in a battle Ruby, it's also about what you give." He said, looking up at the sky, an air passing by every now and again.

"What we give?" Ruby wondered, as she leaned on the railing with Squall staring up together.

Elsewhere, Glynda resided in her office, lamenting the clock viewing up from her desk. She had been frustratingly thinking on the actions Pyrrha took charging in yesterday. With papers sorted neatly on the side of her desk, she thought of her son, who seemed to not have been gone for that long, as her workload was light.

"(What did you do this time?)" she thought, holding a hand on her forehead, a scowl across her face. She looked to see the bag, housing the petunia's she received on her birthday. She let a sigh escape her breath, the clock changed itself to "3:30 p.m." and it faded out. Glynda got up from her desk and proceeded out the door.

With an hour passing by, we find multiple students entering the arena, where Glynda held her "Team Margins" class. The balconies becoming filled as minutes passed by. Team RWBY resided on the west side, talking among themselves.

"I can't believe this many people showed up, just to see two people fight." Blake said, almost in pity.

"It's not just a fight, of two bums. It's a showdown between two contenders, everyone likes that." Yang elaborated, making Blakes eyes roll. "Cash Goodwitch the former fighter for hire, and dirt bag criminal turned Huntsman. His opponent, world renowned fighter and Cereal Mascot, Pyrrha Nikos."

"Here in this hallowed arena, these two mavericks have put their weapons in the ring for a one-on-one showdown! Will the Gunblade trump the spear, or the lady of magnetism put the pedal to the metal!" Ruby cheered.

"Today's match is brought to you by "The Schnee Dust Company." Yang stated, pointing a finger at Weiss, egging her on to join the sisters escapade. Ruby doing the same, with a cheesey smile on her face.

Weiss looked at them, ludicrously. "Uh…right,this will be a good chance to see what our battles in the Vytal Festival will be like. We could be facing either one of them in the tournament, with what we've seen both could be very note-worthy obstacles. Pyrrha has celebrated talent, from her years in combat school, and of course the wins she earned from the MRT since before she joined the academy. Of course Cash with two Vytal Festival wins on his resume makes him just as a big a threat. Experience is the factor here." Weiss thoroughly explained almost happily.

"Wow, I can't beleive we got her join in with us." Yang whispered to her sister.

"I was just stating the facts!" Weiss huffed.

"Well he's certainly focused down there." Blake chimed, looking down at the arena, without his hoodie &coat, Cash was on his knees, his gunblade on his left in its sheath, and his hands in his lap. His eyes were closed, he looked like he was meditating.

Team RWBY turned their attention at the sound of a door opening, Pyrrha walked down the aisles of stairs giving all her focus to the arena below, stopping only at the entrance that led down. She looked right down at Cash, determination brimming in her eyes.

The rest of her team came running through door. Jaune carried her shield and spear, weighing on him as Ren and Nora closed in on Pyrrha.

"Alright Pyrrha, you ready for this? Cash is known felon, with a history of violence, and parole officers for every day of the week. Take your sense of superior morals and drive it down his skull!" Nora shouted, pumping a fist into the air.

Ren put off by his friends cheer, turned to Pyrrha with a simple acknowledgement. "She's means good luck, granted I hoped you'd deem this fight unnecessary." Ren said with a nod. Pyrrha gave a soft laugh to the two.

Jaune walked in between them, looking intensely at Pyrrha. "That's true Pyrrha, it's as Ren said this is unnecassry, you've fought your through the Mistral Regional Tournament, I don't want to say I don't think you'll win, cause that's not important, cause win or lose you've earned your place in Beacon, you've got nothing to prove." Jaune preached desperately to his friend.

Pyrrha held up her arms to receive her weapons, to which Jaune did so holding back his grief. "If I do win, I am leaving Beacon." Pyrrha said, shocking her teammates into silence. She walked towards the stairs leading into the arena.

"She's…joking, right?" Nora questioned with concern, to which her teammates couldn't find an answer to give her, and took their seats.

Pyrrha came up on the arena floor eyeing Cash who did not move from his position, keeping his back to her. Pyrrha moved parallel to him, and put her spear and shield on either side and sat on her knee's, taking the same meditative pose as he did, and closed her eyes.

The two remained still, time going by as the crowd was impressed with their state of mental preparation for the bout. With whatever time available, it was halted by the appearance of Glynda GoodWitch on the balcony aisles. Carrying her tablet scroll, she went to the edge and pressed a few buttons. The barrier enacted around the venue and Pyrrha's and Cash's aura readers were placed upon the Arena Walls. Cash's aura bar was filled over in green shading.

"Combatants ready!?" Glynda called out.

Cash had picked up his gunblade and put it at his side, standing and facing Pyrrha. Pyrrha took hold of her spear and shield and took a stance towards Cash. Cash drew his gunblade.

"Begin!" Glynda commanded.

Pyrrha, changed her spear to it's full length and threw it at Cash, and ran after it. Cash blocked the spear, and Pyrrha threw shield after him. The gunblade deflected the shield, it along with spear floated for a moment for Pyrrha to grab, and raise to strike Cash, as he responded in turn, colliding his gunblade with both weapons.

As the two struggled, Peter Port and Dr. Oobleck entered through the balcony doors and walked down in front to get a better look.

"We haven't missed anything have we?" Peter asked.

"Nope, just started." Glynda answered, keeping her eye on the battle between the two students.

"Ah, good wouldn't want to miss cheering our boy on." Oobleck said, taking a sip from his cup.

"You don't think he'll win?" Glynda jaded.

"We've each took a hand in teaching that boy, he has come far from what he was those years ago, but make no mistake, we do not oversight in the slightest." Peter declared, folding his arms behind his back.

"Yes she has her own variety of skills, and broadening horizons, but she still is a student, comparing either of them in terms of talent is unquestionable. But, I fear Pyrrha has bit off more than she can chew, Cash doesn't just have his win in the Vytal Festival, he's completed missions all over Remnant, and dealt with many an adversary in the harshest of environments." Oobleck said, taking another sip from his cup.

"Good to see you two, still can hold a bid without favorites." Glynda said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Neverrrr." They both said, and threw a lien a card towards a student holding two ballot boxes that Cash's and Pyrrha's name on them, and put the cards in the former.

Below, Pyrrha was relaying a myriad of spinning attacks to Cash, with her extended spear. His gunbalde was sheathed, and blocked her attacks with his hands, his aura protecting them. His movements were not wasted as he took each attack skillfully with precision taking one step back, and kicked Pyrrha in the stomach, sending her back with a roll.

She quickly recovered and held her weapons to him again, eyeing him with an intense glare. "You seem awfully more than a guy who fought thugs for a living. " Pyrrha said, with a hint of being impressed.

"I could fight well enough during my first year of the academy, but Julius is the hand-to-hand guru. He used to kick my ass all the time before I learned the things he used." Cash said with a smirk.

"Sounds like your teammates had a lot to teach you." Pyrrha, complimented, raising her shield on an even level with her spear.

"So do yours." Cash said, nodding to Jaune, Nora, and Ren in the balcony.

Pyrrha could feel their eyes on her, silently cheering for her, and just hoping she wouldn't get hurt.

Pyrrha put her shield on her back, and started walking towards Cash with her spear in one hand. Cash put down his fists and drew his gunblade, and did the same. They both picked up their pace, and reared back their arms. With fierce lunges, the tips of their weapons collided in crash.

The two reared back their arms again, and began an exchange of blurring of jabs and stabs. Sparks went off constantly, and clangs of metal echoed into the arena. The constant barrage of steel, was seemingly even, but Pyrrha was not convinced. She was steadily being overwhelmed, and finding it harder to keep her posture narrow to maintain no openings.

"(I'm finally starting to reach you, aren't I, but I know this isn't enough to do it.) Pyrrha thought, in the midst of holding her ground against Cash. She took a breath through her nose, and flexed her free hand, focusing on her spear. A black force illuminated on the spears blade, and with a mighty scream Pyrrha begun launching faster strikes to Cash.

Pyrrha using her semblance added force to her strikes. This actually forced Cash to pick up the pace of his attacks. Faster than before the two ignited their exchange.

Cash on the outside was brazenly keyed on Pyrrha, not showing temperament at her new force. He was actually impressed. "(You are not lacking, not at all, I feel your ire. That's why, it sucks that all these worms keep giving you that pedestal at a glance, when you only wish to stand firm on your merits.)" Cash thought keeping his pace with Pyrrha. "(So I'm gonna do you a personal favor…)" he thought.

Cash strengthened his muscles, and in a split second, unleashed a roar and a flurry of sword jabs faster than he already was displaying. He erupted in his semblance break aura. Pyrrha was on the brink, and could not fully defend herself. Bit by bit Cash countered her moves, she was slashed and cut all over her person, her aura taking the blows, as she tried to keep pace at Cash, but bared her teeth as she was worked away by his swordsmanship. Pyrrha's aura bar was going down with every blow she suffered. With one final stab, the blade upon Pyrrha's exposed torso, Cash pulled the trigger, and they were removed from view by an explosion.

Pyrrha flew out towards the opposite side of the arena, rolling to a stop, landing on her back. As the smoke cleared, it showed Cash pointing his gunkatana at her. He lowered it and proceeded to walk towards Pyrrha. His expression, cold and unnerving. "(For your sake, I will break you.)"

The crowd above was a in ruckus seeing Pyrrha being uprooted, some cheered for Cash, others cheered for Pyrrha. The teacher looked intently below and asserted their stern expressions to the arena.

"Looks like this is done." Oobleck declared, shocking Team RWBY and others.

"I know that was a crucial blow, that Pyrrha still could-" Weiss started.

"No this is done, it's only a matter of time." Oobleck said drinking from his mug.

"Oobleck is correct, look at the aura readings if you don't believe our words." Peter said, nodding to the wall that showed Cash and Pyrrha's aura. At this moment Pyrrha's aura bar was a 4th full, and Cash's bar was one half green and the other half was bright yellow.

"Whats with his aura bar?" Yang asked.

Below Pyrrha got up and steadied herself to Cash's approach. Panting for a moment, she jumped and made to a diagonal jab with her spear, Cash dodged and hit her shield with her gunblade, sending her off to the side, with a screech. Sliding across from him, she changed her spear into a rifle and leveled it with her shield. She began shooting rapidly, keeping one eye closed and another on the sight. Cash used his aura protected hand to deflect the bullets and proceeded towards her. When he was in a few yards Pyrrha changed her weapon back into a spear, and pulled the trigger to rocket it off towards Cash. He deflected the spear and let it spin upwards. Pyrrha jumped and used her semblance to pull her spear to her hand and made to stab Cash.

"In Cash's 2 years in the Academy of Beacon, he has focused on 3 aspects of his training. Physical Combat, weapons training, and strengthening his aura." Peter explained proudly, wrinkling his mustache. "Within those two years he has worked extended periods of time, maintaining his aura, and building it up to heights surpassing even pro huntsman."

"That's…crazy." Weiss said, dazed.

"Yes, the source of the boys ability to extenuate his aura, lies within his ongoing rage. Not unlike Ms. Xiao Long." Oobleck explained. "Hey!" Yang shouted.

"His…rage?" Ruby questioned.

"Uh, yes, when the boy first came to us, you could say he was a very…" Peter trailed off uncomfortably.

"Very, if not very." Oobleck added sipping his cup.

"Very." Glynda chimed.

"Angry young man. Granted he still is, but he's not the same as he once was, not by long shot." Peter assured.

"Sounds like he can't be beat." Blake said.

"Oh don't get the wrong impression, Cash's aura advantage only applies on opponents, when he's stronger than they are. If he's not, he only has that energy to be kicked around." Peter said, with a hint of arrogance.

"And even then aura won't last forever, thought it replenishes, never let the concept of injury or fatality be forgotten, once it is gone, you get sloppy, and your skills will suffer." Oobleck lectured.

Though it didn't show all at once, the girls and surrounding students, began taking to heart what the teachers were saying.

"I guess that's how he became champion, even if he was a criminal." Weiss stated, colored impress by her upperclassman. Though Glynda growled at the last half of her comment, not going unnoticed by her, making her hide behind Ruby in fear.

Pyrrha was doing what she could, making exhaust swings with her spear, Cash simply blocking them, and forcing her back with his own strikes. With the ring of an explosion, Pyrrha found herself with arms lowered, full of exhaustion, and shaking knees. Cash took a few steps forward, he reared back his arm, gunblade in hand, bending his knees, he extended his free hand towards Pyrrha. Seemingly calling out to her.

Pyrrha stared at him. She looked at the aura readers on the wall and saw that her aura was barely viable. Turning his eyes back to Cash, panting, Pyrrha gripped her spear and raised her arms to take a similar stance.

Cash still in his Semblance Break aura, launched with great force towards Pyrrha. Pyrrha on her last legs gave her all to charge Cash. Extending their weapons for one last charge, the sound of whooshing air erupted, as they came to sliding stop, their backs to each other. Pyrrha lost her footing, and couldn't hold her weapon anymore, with a scream of pain, she fell with twist on her back. Her spear lay off to her left.

Cash turned off his Semblance Break aura, and turned to her. Pyrrha's aura was at 0, and the Wall enlarged Cash's portrait, signing him as the winner.

The crowd looked down and all gave a cheer or disheartened roar.

"Winner: Cash Goodwitch!" Glynda shouted, pointing her hand to her son.

"Pyrrha!" Jaune shouted running down to the arena.

Pyrrha lay on the ring floor, with a cringe struggling to open her eyes. Cash was walking to her, as he got with a yard of her, he sheathed his gunblade. Pyrrha stared at him silence hearing the foot steps of her team coming down to her.

"Your pretty good." Cash said, with a wink smiled, nodding to Pyrrha.

Pyrrha no longer bared her teeth in pain, but smiled, joyfully taking in his compliment. "(I reached your heart.)" she thought. Jaune, Ren, and Nora all gathered around her. With immense worry, they helped her up, as carefully as they could.

"Pyrrha. You were amazing." Jaune said, holding her shoulders, his eyes giving a meaningful glance.

"You did your best." Ren said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"That was awesome, he won't win next time!" Nora cheered into Pyrrha's face.

Pyrrha let out a light laugh, holding a small smile, looking at her team. She glanced at Cash. "Hmph." He looked away with a smirk.

The battle over, students collected their winnings from the wagers, along with teachers…

Cash's criminal record now public knowledge to the first years, they exited theorizing on how much he had traversed in his life, compared to Pyrrha's. Glynda as she walked out, made sure to catch Cash's view, she nodded at her son with a clear hint of parental pride, and walked out. Team JNPR now walked with their usual air again, hijinks and all.

An unknown specified time later at night, Cash and Pyrrha walked down the hall of the dorms, side by side. Cash was acting drastically, while Pyrrha laughed.

"It's not that bad." She said with a giggle.

"You've seen the way she fights, if bullheaded had a new century turn of phrase, it be her!" Cash ranted. "Now Ruby, that's just a kid who knows how to step up. All that sense of embracing the path before her, she earned those shells from me." Cash praised, putting his arms down.

"I see, so there was no other berating motive?" she asked, coyly.

"Well that fact is Ruby is cooler, could be an opinion, could be the truth. Speaking of truth…" Cash trailed off, stopping. Pyrrha with a startled expression, stopped as well. "I think you had something to tell me?" Cash urged.

Pyrrha's smile disappeared. "Was everything not made clear in our fight?" Pyrrha asked, almost angrily.

Cash stared into her eyes, he dare not disagree after what they said with their weapons today. "Yes, so I"ll just say this." Cash said stepping up towards Pyrrha. "Pyrrha, no one said you weren't someone who doesn't cut corners. I see you." He said taking one more step towards Pyrrha, less than 2 feet apart. "And I also see what, those constant praises and borderline worship puts you through. When you hold that into perspective, it's a worthless hold for a pedestal, once your on top, no one is there for you, but you, and if it wasn't for your modest personality you'd end up with heading to a shallow death, all that time being put up by those people, and your gone. Then they move on to the next one." Cash said intensely.

Pyrrha frowned and put her hands to her chest, here eyes downcast not being able to look Cash in the eye.

"You don't want that, I already knew as much. You want to grow, you want to see that hidden talent that lies beyond your already great strength. But Pyrrha…your always being told your better than everyone else or your already so great you don't need to improve on something, and people are doing this all the time, my mother included." Cash pleaded with an urging for her to look at him. Pyrrha tensed up, wrenched with feeling turmoil build in her body.

"But I don't…" Cash said. Pyrrha stopped shaking. "I will be what no one could ever be. I will knock you down-NO I"ll keep breaking you, and each time, we'll find your wish. The better person you want to be-" Cash said, but in not even in a blur Pyrrha was on him, legs wrapped around his torso, her lips to his, arms around his neck.

Cash put his arms around her In turn. They kissed intensely, tongues interlocked. In a mere instant, they were in team JNPR's room, the door closing on it's own when they whirled in. The lights were out and the room was empty. Still kissing, Cash and Pyrrha landed on her bed, rolling with Cash on top. They separated to take a breath, both were nose to nose. Pyrrha looked into Cash's eyes breathing on his cheek, and formed a small smile. Cash's eye lids got heavy, his forehead pushing against Pyrrha's. They leaned in for another kiss and just as they were beginning again, Pyrrha moaned out a name. "Jaune…."

Pyrrha's eye widened in fear, and immediately took herself away from Cash, covering her mouth In shame. Retreating to the head of the bed, Pyrrha gasped in horror. "I'm sorry I-" Cash raised a hand stopping her.

His face did not look hurt, angry, or even sad, at least for himself. Pyrrha dropped her hands from her mouth, her eyes still full of guilt.

"Pyrrha, its fine." Cash said, patting the bed, signaling Pyrrha to sit closer to him. Pyrrha reluctantly moved next to him. "Now I know why you were so angry when I chalked up Jaune yesterday." He said.

Pyrrha, guilt still fresh in her, eyes downcast, spoke. "I was the first who saw his potential, and he's been improving everyday so much. Like you…he only wanted to see me."

"He's a lucky guy." Cash said, surprising Pyrrha, seeing a smile on his face.

"I-I…Cash-agh!" Pyrrha struggled with her words, pressing her hands on her kness in frustration.

"He is what you want, don't fear that, if he also sees you, then act on it." Cash whispered. Pyrrha could not believe herself, and less believe the guidance Cash was giving her.

"I'm still keeping my word by the way." Cash declared, confusing Pyrrha. "To make you the better person you want to be." He got up from the bed, he turned his head towards her giving her a smile and despite whatever guilt she felt, she returned it. Her arms hugging her stomach, she watched him exit the door.

This was not a tragedy, for she would not forget the man for she would bare her heart.

Chapter End.


	8. The Other Gunblade

The Other Gunblade

The RWBY crew traveled through the halls finishing cups of coffee, soda, or tea. Each girl with a satisfying sigh, tossed their drinks into a waste bin on their way down to the arena door.

"Im feeling full and ready to battle Cash!" Ruby cheered raising a fist in the air.

"We'll show him up yet! We got this, right Weiss!?" Yang pointing a finger coolly at the ice queen.

"I'm ready, a coffee with two sugars hits the spot." Weiss said with a smile, winding her arm.

"Lets just do what we do best, nothing flashy, this is just for a grade after all." Blake lectured walking in front of the group.

"Yeah, yeah, were gonna kick it into high gear today!" Yang said with a smirk, as they approached the arena door. With a punch the door flew open, and the girls walked through, Weiss shaking her head, and Ruby getting more energetic. Blake shrugged it off and looked down to the arena. She raised an eyebrow. "Hey Look." She said tapping on Yang's arm.

The girls looked into the arena where they would usually see Cash waiting for Class to start. However what they saw was not Cash, but Squall the 3rd years younger brother, leaning on the side with his head down and eyes closed.

"Squall?" Ruby uttered, raising her own eyebrow.

Yang looked back and forth between the arena, seeing only the entrances from the balcony and Glynda by the exit, in the back of the arena. Yang turned to her team with a shrug. Ruby scoped the balcony seeing random teams across seated and talking, Team CRDL and Ren reading a book, while Nora leaned on his back, napping.

"Something happened?" suggested Blake.

"He seemed alright when we saw him last." Weiss stated walking to a clear row of seats to their left. Followed by Blake and Yang, however Yang halted upon seeing her sister standing deep in thought, keeping her head down.

"(Cash…?)" Ruby thought, a frown forming on her face, staring at her feet. Yang put a comforting hand on her sisters shoulder. Ruby's worried face turned startled as she looked at her sister.

"We'll ask Ms. GoodWitch and Squall about him when class ends." Yang said softly, gently pulling her sister after her team. Ruby gave a small smile and walked in tow with her to be seated with Weiss and Blake.

As time went on the class became full in attendance, Jaune and Pyrrha were trying to keep Nora from drooling on Ren. With a clear of her throat, Glynda brought the students to attention. She nodded to Squall and he raised his Gunblade upon his shoulder walking next to her.

"Attention Students, as I'm sure your aware, Cash will not be joining us for this weeks class or the next few classes towards the end of this month. Taking his place during that time, will be your fellow upperclassman, Squall Leonhart, make no mistake, this is nothing to celebrate about, Squall also qualifies to be the assistee in this class." Glynda said sternly. Though Squall got the feeling he could've sworn she wedged in a brag in there.

The students began to murmur at this development. "You think he'll give me autograph, after class?" a female asked.

"I don't believe it the scar on his face, it's like a tribal tattoo or something!" a male student said with excitement.

"Maybe he'll go easier on us." Another male student pleaded nervously.

Team RWBY watched the gossip go around the room, thinking about they themselves thought of the situation. At the news that Cash would not be attending for an extended period of time, she frowned, aiming her downcast face to the edge of the balcony. Yang put a hand on her head and rubbed it, comfortingly.

"Alright, same as always, the first to volunteer, and so on." Glynda said activating the barrier to the arena.

A random team stood up and made their way down to the arena floor. The students took their places,

Around Squall taking caution to not take their eyes off him. Squall in turn with his cold demeanor started towards them, his eyes starting right through him, or alteast that's what It felt like.

"Ready…" Squall said. With one last moment of silence, he darted to a student, his speed so daunting he could barely react.. "Go." Squall swung the hilt giving no intention to hold back.

As the spectators watched in bewilderment at Squalls weapon skills, Ruby watched gleefully, as she had done with Cash, her earlier depressed demeanor gone. With a lighter mood Blake spoke eyeing the ensuing confrontation below.

"So, Weiss got any full on, dynamically challenging bios for us today?" Blake joked, catching her friend off guard.

Yang started at her as well, making her feel awkward. "Uh…." Weiss uttered uncomfortably. With a clear of her throat she started. "Squall Leonhart, brother to Cash GoodWitch, and first winner of the Vytal Festival for Team CSHS." Weiss said.

"He won first?" Blake said with a surprise.

"So he won and then Cash won after?" Yang asked, confusion brimming from her tone.

"Yes, in fact there's a debate of which of the two is stronger. Some say its Cash, some say its Squall…" Weiss finished returning her sight below with her team.

Squall dodged a slash, and ducked under a kick. In a blur of slashes of his gunblade, it ended on one students neck. In the flurry of cuts the teams faces were left in a stupor, immediately their aura faded out. The tip of the gunblade remained at the students neck, Squall turned his head to him.

"Your done, this is finished." He said, removing his gunblade from the students neck and turned around to Glynda. As he walked away from the 1st year team, they could not help blink in confusion at what transpired.

"Depends on aura too much." Squall said within earshot of Glynda, who nodded.

"Next Team!" she said tapping on Tablet Scroll.

Another team shakily stood up, while the others looked in bewilderment at the gunbladers prowess. "According to his fanclub, he's stronger. Obviously." Weiss stated, inspecting Squalls gunblade, noting the blade of his model was larger than his brothers and had a more profound edge.

"Fan Club? Ruby are you a part of it?" Yang asked, looking to her sister full of discontent.

"I'm only subscribed to their Newsletter-and Julius's-well…maybe them all." Ruby said with a nervous laugh.

Yang uttered a sigh of disappointment, and face palmed herself. "Julius' is mostly just, random uploads of pictures of him without his coat on, frankly they leave much to be desired, if you ask me Julius always looks better with his coat on, and is better portrait angled his face is just-" Weiss stopped herself mid-rant, as she felt the eyes of her teammates on her, all looking at her ludicrously.

"Ahem…Well, I think we better volunteer soon, don't you?" she asked nervously.

Yang stared through her with her suspicious gaze giving no quarter that she would get answers about this later. "Yeah…sure." She said.

"We can probably wait after 1 more team." Blake said, trying to undo the awkwardness of the atmosphere.

"Oh man, he's got burn bullets in his chamber like Cash!" Ruby cheered, watching Squall rise out an explosion.

The team below layed spread across the arena, all cringing or just groaning in pain. Squall returned his gunblade over his shoulder, and with his bangs in his face turned to the young fighters. "You could stand to be more defense oriented when your beared down on." He said walking to the center of the ring, while the beacon students could only groan in response.

"That'll be all. Next Team!" Glynda said, riding crop extended sending the worn students to the balcony.

"Soooo, do we go now?" Blake asked.

"Mmmmm, one more." Ruby said, resuming her fangirlish charisma to the arena below. Each other member of Team RWBY let out a sigh, and remained seated as another group started towards the stairs.

"Looks like this guy is just as much the master swordsman Cash is." Nora said, while using Ren as an arm rest.

"You could say so, but he lacks Cash more or less, inner savagery." Ren stated.

"Yes, Cash doesn't outright display it, due to him liking a few of us, but there is…a dark source. Squall must've endured with him, to fight as his equal." Pyrrha said, somberly.

"You don't think he's stronger?" Jaune asked.

"The way he fights…those two are almost never off the same tier." Pyrrha declared, watching him do a pose he deflected an axe and a machete.

As her team pondered her words, the exchange below soon ended, the team this time remained well enough to stand. "Next Team!" Glynda shouted,

"That's our cue." Ruby said cheerfully, skipping to the stairs, her teammates following in tow. Passing by the last batch of 1st years they walked towards the center of the arena, and brought out their weapons in front of Squall.

"Just so you know, I can't hold back on you to prove a point." Squall said, his bangs hiding an arrogant smile.

"We didn't ask for pity." Yang said cocking her Ember Cilica.

"Cash wouldn't have it any other way." Ruby said, with a confident smile, as Blake and Weiss took their stances. Weiss looked almost peeved at Squalls "warning".

"Hmph." Squall shook his bangs out of his face and begun walking towards the girls.

"Begin!" Glynda said, displaying all their aura bars on her Tablet Scroll.

Ruby charged Squall and made a diagonal slash. Squall parried the blade, as Blake unsheathed her sword and lunged at Squall. He knocked her wrist off course, and at the cock of a gun looked up to see Yang baring down him firing shots from her weapons. Squall moved slightly side to side to avoid the burn rounds. A black glyph appeared under his feet, his eyes shifted from the glyph straight to Weiss, his demeanor unchanging.

"He can't break semblances like his brother, attack him quickly!" Weiss said, her sword planted in the ground.

"We actually had a theory about this." Squall said, staring through Blake and Ruby to Weiss. Squall flexed all the muscles in his arms and legs and with a grunt began forcing his way towards the edge of the glyph. He managed to take one step and Weiss's focus immediately began to weaken as she bared her teeth. This caught her teammates and spectators off guard.

"You can't hold someone with these black glyphs for long, if their handily stronger than you." Squall said working to take another step out the glyph. Weiss tightened her grip on her sword and closed her eyes.

"Get him quickly! I can't hold him like this for long!" she said struggling to keep him binded, baring her teeth even harder.

Yang and Ruby went to strike Squall, he blocked Ruby's scythe with his gunblade and used his elbow defend against Yang's air punch. Blake turned her sword it's pistol mode and began firing at Squall. Already holding the sisters back, Squall could only let his aura take the bullets as he continued to work the glyph. Ruby fired off a shot from Crescent Rose and spun with the momentum, to unleashed a side slash. Yang shot herself away from Squall and went for a straight punch. He ducked under both attacks, simultaneously dodging a few bullets from Blake, and used another push of force to extend past the glyph. Weiss's hold on the glyph was lost and her shoulders slumped, with sweat dropping down her face, panting. The Glyph was broken and Squall kicked up dust whizzing past Blake, and leaving Ruby and Yang behind. He blurred behind Weiss and proceeded to knock her to her team with the butt of his gunblade.

Yang caught her as she rolled on the floor, Blake stepping in front of her beside Ruby. Both jumped in a zig zag and jumped to either side of Squall, Ruby speeding off with her semblance and Blake sprinted changing her pistol back into a sword.

Squall focused intensely on Ruby, almost glaring at her and just as she was approaching him as a cluster of petals, she found him gone, she did however see what she thought were black leaves encompassing her, as she floated back, she bumped into something solid, with a shock she turned to see Squall looking down at her.

"Aaagh!" She immediately sped away into another direction, but soon found herself stopped by Squalls presence again, seeing the black leaves again. She ran again and again each time finding Squall seemingly teleporting to her locations. Once more she tries, but bumps into his Chest. Shakily she looks up and with a gasp widened her eyes. Blake who had been ready to strike earlier was stupefied, Yang no better.

They Watch Squall almost float in front of Ruby, but what shook the young girl was that it wasn't leaves emanating off him, but black rose petals. Weiss stood on her feet, quickly warning her teammates.

"Its his semblance, Squall can take in the aura of other people and use their semblances! Semblance Share!" she said rolling the dust chamber on myternmaster, taking a stance once again to fight.

This shocked the girls and Ruby began to shrink at Squall's non-chalant gaze. "I gotta say this semblance is a doozy on handling, I don't think I'm gonna use it again anytime, it's a bit stressful for simple pacing." Squall said, looking rather shaky. The black rose petals disappeared, and Squall let out an intense sigh.

Ruby stared at him, unsure of how to inspect him. Neither had time to prepare as bullets found their way to Squalls feet exploding on impact. Ruby, shook to attention, spun her scythe and aimed the rifle end at Squall shooting frantically. "Is that whats its like when I fly around all over place!?" she thought, Squall. A glyph formed under Squalls feet and it began to form ice to encase his foot. He immediately muscled his way free and jumped back as Yang jumped beside her sister cocking her gauntlets. Squall landed in front of Blake and Weiss. Blake swung her whole cleaver and Weiss dashed at him via Glyph. Squall spun himself to meet their attacks, shifting to the side avoiding Blake's cleaver, and swung his gunblade to Weiss, pulling the trigger, sending her off in an explosion. While Blake was open, he repeated the action sending the two in opposite directions.

With a scream the Schnee and Cat faunus landed with a roll, their aura started to crack. The sisters went to either side of Squall and held their weapons ready to attack from a distances or close range. Squall found ice began to build around his ankles, and shifted his eyes. Weiss pointed her sword towards him focusing on the glyph.

"Now!" She called out, dashing to attack Squall. Black did the same rearing back her cleaver, followed by Yang and Ruby firing off their weapons to dash. As they approached him, Squall smirked. When the girls attacked with each of their weapons, they all felt a hit, bur a rather shallow one, so they just kept going towards each other. "Squall" faded away in black and the girls proceeded to crash into each other.

"Ok, that about wraps this up." Squall stood a few yards from the girls, his back too them, and gunblade over his shoulder. The girls groaned, taking note that Glynda had given a look of approval on Squalls judgement.

"Maybe he is stronger." Blake said with a wince.

"You may return to your seats. Next team!" Glynda called out, closing the screen containing Team RWBY's aura bars, and held her finger over an array of files on her tablet scroll with team names.

Team RWBY while a bit dazed, returned to their seats. Ruby in the back of her mind thought to inquire of the younger brothers of his older brothers whereabouts, but left it alone and would wait till the class sessions end.

Ruby took a seat, giving a sigh of relief being able to get off her feet. "Uh oh." Blake uttered. Ruby looked to see Team CRDL get up to take their turn in the class. Each member of her team eye Cardin and his team intensely, Team JNPR doing the same, except Nora who was humming to herself.

"Ok so team CRDL next." Glynda said, tapping on the teams file, to bring up their aura bars. This grabbed Squalls attention and as he closed his eyes, a feral presence taking the room, his expression physically unchanging, but the girls knew better.

Team CRDL prepared their weapons, not noticing Squalls growing temperament. "Ready." Glynda said. Ruby's face went pale and Yang held a hand over mouth faring no better, Blake and Weiss scrunching their eyes uncomfortably.

Nora stopped humming to herself, narrowing her eyes upon Team CRDL, letting out an evil laugh, a dark smile across her face.

With his bangs in front his face, Squall stood silently waiting for Glynda to give the signal. "Begin!" She said. Before Team CRDL could make a move Squall was at Cardin, immediately delivering a punch to his face, using the hand holding the gunblade. In that moment he brought he butt of the gunblade across Cardin's face and kicked him the abdomen sending him up the air. As Cardin fell down, his face then collided with Squall's knee and he flew back. Squall homed in on Dove and elbowed him right into his nose, and followed up by driving the butt of his gunblade up his chin. Before Dove could go flying, Squall raised his knee and brought his foot to Dove's mouth and put him to the ground raising debris. Russell barely got out a gasp before Squall clench his skull and lifted him over his head, to be thrown at Sky. He rushed at them and immediately explosions boomed out repatedly, The pair came flying out, fire coming off their aura, and left craters in the spots where they landed.

The spectating students were at a loss for words, of Squalls display of brutality. Nora however snickered, and with her most decrepit smile said. "Break aaaaaalll their legs." Her team looked at her ludicrously.

Squall himself looked down upon Cardin, his team scattered across the floor, predatory eyes gazing from behind his bangs. "Don't let that put ya down. Its just the warm up…" Squall said, piercing their beings with or without eye contact upon them.

"Cash wasn't kidding! I don't think he's any forgiving as he is." Blake said, almost horrified at Squall's expression, feeling like her stomach dropped in.

"Um…maybe we better just ask Ms. Goodwitch instead Ruby." Yang said shaking, her face gone pale.

"Or we could just ask Julius." Weiss said, a lump caught in her throat, at seeing the destruction done to Cardin and his teammates.

Ruby ignored their words and continued to watch Squall continue his torment upon team CRDL. After that the rest of the class proceeded much more routinely. Team CRDL remained alive, if you could call that good news. With the shaken students completed their class, Ruby did as her sister advised and approached Squall on the arena, her team following in tow, reluctantly.

Squall stood next to Glynda, with a much more calmer stature than earlier. "Go have lunch, thanks to Cash's persistence I barely have a workload as is." She said, softly.

"Ok, hmm?" Squall turned around to see Ruby approaching him.

"Glynda took notice and took a step around Squall. "They must want to know why Cash isn't here, I"ll just explain that-" Glynda said.

"I'll handle it." Squall interrupted.

Surprised Glynda tilted her head. "You sure? You don't like giving the impression your talkative." she asked.

"I"ll handle this diligently." He joked sourly, but Glynda gave a small smile.

"Ok, see you in an hour." She said, and proceeded to the back exit, putting away her tablet scroll.

Squall turned around to meet Ruby, looking full of concern, standing impatiently. "Squall." She said.

"He's fine, he's just in between priorities right now." He said.

"How so?" Blake asked in disbelief.

"Glynda had him take some time off from being her TA, and to have more time to prepare for his own tests for his classes." Squall said. In the process consoling Ruby, who smiled, gave a small cheer. Yang put a hand on her back, with a caring smile.

"Guess even he has workload to abide by." Weiss said, unable to hold back a smirk.

"Look you can ask him the rest yourself, I'm going to the mess hall, join me or-agh!" Ruby grabbed Squalls arm, making him grunt.

"That's great, lets go." She said eagerly, dragging Squall with her to the stairs. Yang, Blake, and Weiss looked ludicrously at their leaders behavior. Yang's expression soured, walking after them.

In the mess hall, Cash sat across from Julius, intensely staring at his teammate. Julius holding his standard cold gaze held something in his hand, rectangular and white. "Ready to face the verdict?" he asked his mouth covered by his coat collar.

"Read me in." Cash said, trying to show he was full of bravery, but he was shaky in his response.

Julius held the white object up and the air and slammed it down, showing a questionnaire, with the words "Exam Practice" on the heading. 7 questions had checkmarks, 3 had x's.

"Gotta say it boads well for the future, but we both know Glynda will only take better, try again." Julius said calmly, drinking from a tea cup. Cash fell down with a slump, his cheek be caressed by wood.

"Dammit!" he shouted, taking a depressing demeanor.

Ruby walked in, and up on seeing Cash hurried over to his table, with Squall following up reluctantly. Her team soon followed after, trying to lock on to their leader.

Ruby came to a halt looking down at Cash, his head still on the table. "Hi, Cash." Ruby said happily, with a wave.

"Hey Ruby…" Cash said, despair brimming on his voice.

"How are you?" Julius asked politely.

"Oh fine, Cash didn't show up in class today, so things got a little boring." Ruby stated, denying anything else.

"Yeah right." Squall murmured walking past Ruby.

Ruby almost stuck her tongue at Squall, bot noticed the white paper on the table. "Whats that?" she asked.

"A short practice -pretest, Cash is using to study." Julius said.

"Oh, so you really are using the time off to study more." Ruby taking a seat next to Cash.

"Of course you dolt." Weiss chided, making Ruby wince. She walked in on her, her scowl present. "To be a TA you have to have maintained a certain grade point average." She elaborated.

"That is technically true, but Glynda has different standards…" Cash said, grimly.

Yang and Blake found their way through the crowd Weiss. "Like what?" Yang asked.

"Glynda picks her TA's among honor roll level students." Cash explained, his head sinking further into the table.

"And you qualify?" Yang asked, in disbelief.

"Ruby, permission to cut out your sisters tongue." Cash said, his expression going from sad, to angry.

"I'm pretty sure it would just grow back." Ruby theorized.

"Ruby!" Yang scolded, while Blake laughed.

Weiss though seemed more than impressed with Cash's efforts to his TA job. "You must have the intellect of Julius or myself to keep your position with her." She said with nod.

"It helps that I have Julius to help me study, and Glynda isn't the type to play favorites, I put up or shut up." Cash said, leaning on his elbow.

"I guess your not a teachers pet." Yang said.

"Ok, I know it'll grow back, but how fast?" Cash asked, reaching for a fork on the side of the table.

"Cash." Julius said, stopping him right in his tracks. The TA looked to the boy, his soured expression cleared on his face.

"Eat for awhile, I'm gonna tend to my plants." Julius said, putting down his now empty tea cup, and walking to the door. With a quick, but polite, goodbye to the girls and a bow, Julius left the mess hall, Squall taking his seat, upon returning with food.

"Julius has plants on school grounds?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah, he's super into botany, as you've seen. A subtle, but serene place, to call his own, Peach actually tried to buy flowers from Julius once, but he doesn't work that way, he really loves plant life. Really likes to indulge, especially after long missions." Cash said. Attempting take food on his brothers tray, but found his hand stabbed with a fork, to which he shrilled, pulling away, grunting at his brother.

"He doesn't like to leave them alone for too long." He said, not even looking at Cash as he resumed eating.

"No wonder the girls love em." Yang said, jabbing Weiss in the stomach, mockingly. Weiss growled at her, and return her focus on Julius, getting a glimpse of him walking towards the courtyard.

"Ya know, Velvet doesn't seem to be the type to go for violent guys…" Blake suggested.

"I don't know what your talking about." Squall said, with a shimmer of annoyance, making Blake roll her eyes. "She doesn't need a guy fighting her battles, she's stronger than over the half the people in here." He added.

While her teammates watched Cash attempt to coerce his brother into sharing, Ruby laughed, finding a dynamic with her own sibling. In the process aggravated Yang, to which the conflict grew, much to her and Blakes chagrin. The siblings argued amongst themselves, as Blake watching in amusement. Ignoring the complacent antics , Weiss looked at the practice test in front of Cash, she got an idea.

The next day, Cash took to the library alone, going inside, as walked down the shelves and hologram monitors he looked for the reading tables.

"Hey." Cash looked down the library to see Weiss, at a table. She gave wave to him, and seemed to be anticipating him to approach her. With confusion Cash unsurely huddled to the student 2 years below him.

"You ready to get started?" she asked, with an usual uprise of pep.

"Uuuuuuuuh?" Cash uttered, gesturing for Weiss to fill him in.

"I offered to help in your studies in Julius' place, as he will busy conducting other business." Weiss said, in her conductive manner.

""You" are gonna tutor me?" Cash scoffed.

"Yes, you already have missions to do, and from what Julius has told me you spend more time than you have too helping Professor GoodWitch. Frankly you could stand to take more time off then she's given you." She advised opening a book.

"I wish she would take that advice." Cash said, taking the seat opposite of her.

"Does she work that much?" Weiss asked.

"It's not like she's at it 24/7, but before me, she was so courteous, like she had no other way of living." Cash said almost sadly.

"Before you?" Weiss asked, passing him a copy of the book in her hand. Cash took the book, and resolved the girls confusion.

"I'm adopted." He said.

Weiss's eyes widened in surprise, and she felt, rather perplexed at the growing admiration for her upperclassman.

"So, where do we start? We don't cover the same material as the first and second years." Cash said.

"Believe me I know over half of what we're taught already, and this is my chance to learn the literature ahead of time, all the while making sure you keep your perfect grade point average." Weiss said assuredly.

The two went over the material, Weiss quizzing Cash after each reading and using flash cards. While it was bitter work, the process for Cash was not, as he was already getting accustomed to the 1 on 1 sessions with the Ice Queen.

Chapter End.


	9. Red like Roses, Black like Lighting

Red Like Roses Black like lighting

In the midst of the Academy, the daily shuffling of students changing classrooms commenced into the early noon. Ruby paced down the halls in her school uniform, alone. Humming to herself she took a turn by the library and peaked inside going by the entrance, halting upon seeing Cash sitting across from Weiss with Julius. Julius sat quietly reading while Weiss was lecturing Cash who was nodding to her with each sentence.

She saddened somewhat, Cash had been under Weiss' tutelage for the remainder of the month and so on in tandem with Julius. They were unable to hang out as much, at least long. Ruby let out a sigh and preceded down the hall letting go of the thought of trying to find wiggle room with Cash's busy studies.

Classes proceeded onward and Ruby made her way to her dorm to change into her standard clothes, Blake sitting on her bed reading and her sister standing in front of a mirror brushing her hair.

Ruby admired her laying on her bed. "Ya know Ruby I wouldn't mind the company, I'll be out for awhile and Blakes just gonna read her book for hours on end." Yang said quipping at the cat faunus. She blew it off and flipped a page in her book.

"I'll go, Weiss is watching Julius tend his garden." Ruby said.

"Honestly, the man majors in botany, he sings, and he's a gentleman. What is Weiss waiting for, an invitation!? I might take it at this point." Yang said, flipping her cowlick as she continued brushing her hair.

"Yang!" Ruby chided, turning her head to her sister.

"Im joking, I'm joking." She said with a laugh to Ruby and Blake. Blake while silent was not amused.

A knock rapped upon the door and Ruby sprout up as her sister looked to halt the brush. "I've got it." Ruby said skating across the room to the door knob.

Upon opening it, she murmured in surprise, but no less happy, to see Cash standing in front of her. "Hey." He said.

"Hey, what's up?" Ruby asked.

"I was wondering." Cash began, picking up Ruby's attention. "You good doin me a favor?" he asked.

Ruby blinked questioningly. "Sure, what is it?" she asked.

"Saturday, I was hoping I could get your help for a thing I do, are you free?" Cash asked.

"Uh, sure, where at?" Ruby asked excited.

"Emerald forest, Sig will pilot us there, we'll have more time that way." Cash said.

Ruby gave a fangirls gasp. "Really!? Sig can fly airships!? Awesome!" she cheered.

"Yeah he has a standard license and is permitted to pilot bullheads, but he's getting ready to test for his cargo vehicles license." Cash said with a smile. "So see you Saturday?" he asked.

"Yeah! I can't wait, I'll be at your side!" Ruby said giving a salute.

"Thanks Ruby." Cash said walking to the end of the hall to the elevator. Ruby waved at him and returned to her room.

The days couldn't come by soon enough for Ruby as she awoke Saturday morning, being careful not to wake her teammates and hurried to the washroom to get ready to meet Cash. With a pit stop to the locker room she collected her scythe and bullets , and hurried to Cash's floor. Semblance enhanced speed landed her in front his door, with smile plastered over her face, Ruby knocked as she could barely contain herself, footsteps got louder as they got near the near. It opened revealing Cash his hoodie down and without the trenchcoat.

"Ruby, all set? I was finishing a few dust experiments." Cash said pointing his thumb back to his desk that held the beakers she saw last time.

"Yeah, I just hope those are what your bringing with us." Ruby said.

"Eh, a few are new, still haven't gotten it to where it can cover a city block. Sigs waiting at the docks already, he's been doing laps around by patch getting a feel for the cargo airships." Cash explained.

"Great! Lets go, I wanna see!" Ruby said childishly.

"Ok give me a minute, gotta make sure these don't blow up without me." Cash said walking to his desk collecting his trench coat.

"Maybe you should just stop them when you leave? You've got plenty in your coat." Ruby suggested.

Cash raised his arms in his sleeves, buffeting the trench coat a bit, revealing a myriad of dust ammo spread out inside, ranging from red, white, purple, green, and blue in variety of shades.

. Ruby shuddered seeing it, awed by the cache he had on his person at most times in battle.

"Alright lets go, and I haven't had one blow up since my second year." Cash said as he and Ruby continued to bicker down the halls to the courtyard. Ruby ran ahead of Cash on their approach to the airship, and Ruby looked at the cockpit in child like wonder. Upon seeing her out the cargo boy Sig greeted her and was geeked at his pilots license for the vehicle. Cash urged for them to quicken the pace to their destination, and reluctantly did so. Sig readied the airship and made for the Emerald Forest, during the voyage they oversaw the waterfall behind Beacon and the river leading into the forest. Ruby found it beautiful the point she was hypnotized. After a considerable amount of time, Sig dropped them at a clearing, unfamiliar to Ruby. With his leave they begun to trek the forest.

Ruby walked backwards talking to Cash, happy to be in his company. "So you can fly too?" the girl asked.

"Yeah, but Sigs our go to guy, I think its in his blood. I feel just as happy doing it though." Cash said his face now inside his Grimm hood.

"You guys really have "a particular set of skills"?" Ruby joked with a cheesy smile.

Cash laughed, taken aback by Ruby's auspicious joke, he grabbed her holding her by the neck with his elbow, playfully nugging her head. "Shut up!" he said happily carrying her, Ruby faked struggling to free herself with a playful smile on her face. Continuing their brother-sister moment they proceeded onto a ridge. When Cash let her loose she ran up ahead, sticking her tongue out, baiting him to give chase. They ran out of the ridge, and over the section of the river, Cash thought of times in his life when he would act this way with Squall when they were younger. Despite his past misdoings he had genuine heartfelt times with his brother, thinking of the rare times he got him to smile on the outside and the inside.

Some time later Ruby lay upon a tree branch, Cash's sword on her ammo belt. Silence fill an area surrounded by trees with Cash in the center sitting silently, calm his aura pulsating around him extending to his trench coat. His hands were in a mudra gesture, inside his hood was an expression of focus that would impress a master monk.

Ruby gawked at how long he had been there, half-hour told by her scroll's time. As she looked between Cash and her scroll, she almost dropped upon looking at the emerging red eyes from the trees. A white bone like plated face and a gold glistening stinger hovering over its claws. The deathstalker snapped its claws as it approached Cash, readying to strike. Ruby readied her weapon to engage and looked to her ammo belt eyeing the dust Cash gave her. She only little knowledge of the particular effects of the dust and contemplated to use them.

The deathstalker raised its stinger and leaned it back like a cobra. Ruby put her thoughts on the dust rounds out of her mind and put her Scythe in sniper mode ready to shoot the grimm in its eyes. Its stinger launched going for Cash's neck. Before Ruby could fire off a shot, the stinger was not able to proceed past Cash's head. Aura kept it at bay, as Cash remained in his position, his back to the grimm. Ruby gasped in surprise, loosening her grasp on her weapon.

Without opening his eyes Cash reached back towards the stinger. He pulled it slightly over his hand and injected his other hand into the stinger, sending his aura into it. At the same time he twisted it causing the stinger to rupture and leave only the half with the golden tip remaining. Cash then threw it right at the base of what remained of the stinger on the deathstalker. It let it out some kind of distorted scream and made for Cash in a frenzy, the claws snapping in tandem threatening to cut Cash. The deathstalker cried in Cash's face, his arm was already inside its mouth. Aura pushed out of is hand making the majority of the body expand and blow into pieces leaving the head and a small section of its abdomen remaining.

He dropped the head and let it decay a foot away from. Ruby's jaw dropped having watched Cash handle the grimm with nary an afterthought. "He's really ready to be a pro huntsmen, but he still asked me for my help anyway." Ruby thought, putting away her weapon, studying the huntsman in training, bewildered by his strength.

With a relaxed breath Cash stood up. Waving up at Ruby, Cash shook his head free out of his hood. She jumped down, and brought his gunblade out of her ammo belt. "I think that's enough, we're done here." He said taking his weapon.

"Ok where to next?" Ruby said, putting her arms behind her back.

"Hmmm, you pick a spot for us next." Cash said, giving her a smile.

"Eh? But we're here for you, why give me the wheel?" Ruby asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Pick a spot and I'll explain." Cash said, turning to the forest waiting for her to pick a direction.

"Uuuuh?" Ruby looked around seeing more tree's it looked more familiar as she recalled the trail the 1st years took back to Beacon cliff. Upon seeing some trees with a view of the clearing nearby, Ruby pointed to the tallest tree branch of the center masse tree yards away.

Cash nodded and jumped from tree to tree, Ruby following after him. The two hopped in tandem towards the spot, and reaching it before her, Cash held out a hand to Ruby to lift her up with him. He sat on the tree Ruby being careful to do the same. Ruby took in the scene overlooking the reaches of the emerald forest, a dug out below with a view of a stone path off the right.

She did not let this distract her and focused on gaining explanations from Cash. "Cash why did you come out here?" she asked.

"I come out here, cause it feels natural to be out here for me, fighting grimm, mediating, training. Sort of like-"Cash started.

"We're supposed to be out here, I feel the same way. I did this in Patch, going out in the night by my mothers grave and fight beowolves." Ruby finished, inching closer to him.

"You and Yang's mom are dead?" Cash asked with surprise. Ruby turned to him and nodded. But looked unfazed, Cash however was taken aback by this and stared at her, silver eyes reflecting off the sun.

After a moment of silence he returned his sight to the forest. "I was adopted by Glynda. A violent, rigid, selfish, raging, thug. " Cash said, bringing more of Ruby's attention from her. "I grew up without parents. Squall did have parents once, but he says they were buried in Mistral. I didn't ask, not when it didn't matter."

"Squall said you weren't brothers in the "convential" sense. What did he mean by that?" Ruby asked, with concern.

Cash traced the scar across his face, letting silence give way to the question. Ruby frowned not taking the silence well, and raised her voice. "Cash we already know you did things, I'm not waiting for someone else to explain them to me, so why are you!?" she said almost angrily.

Cash turned his eyes to the younger huntress in training, forming an expression apologetic in response. He raised a hand unsure of what to say at first. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean too."

"Its ok, as long as its you." Ruby said calming herself down, leaning her head down giving attention to the grass.

Cash stared at her demeanor, he could tell she had patient with his dull responses to his history, his team and the better portion of the school knew his upbringing. It was likely they had said things that Ruby did her best to ignore and chose to let him explain himself. Cash had come to value the girl himself and his team had come to welcome perilously, and treated her like part of the crew. He would not disappoint her.

"I've been put in foster homes, and I either ditched them or I did something that made them want me gone. I was put in jail from time to time since I was 9. If someone was scared of me, they were right to be." Cash finished. Cash nodded his head towards the stone path and a pack of beowolves arrived, their leader herding them from the back. Ruby lifted her head acknowledging their presence and whipped her crescent rose in its rifle form. She counted 13 of them and took a shot for one. The grimm fell down with a headshot. The pack snarled in response, apparently unable to see the pair up high at the moment.

Ruby shot another, consecutively downing another grimm. She wrung out her shoulders to lose tension and calmly aimed her rifle at the beowolves for another target. The beowolves moved out the stone path, anxiously anticipating where the culprit of the dead grimm around them would strike next.

Ruby answered with another shot dead center between a beowolf's eyes. "For three." Cash said, acknowledging Ruby's skill.

Ruby gave a small smile and continued to down grimm as they attempted to find cover in the trees. 7 remained by Ruby's count as she kept her scope on the fleeing beowolves carefully aiming a path to the pack.

"Can keep this up all day. Was your street fighting as bad Professor Goodwitch said it to be?" Ruby asked, the atmosphere taking a serious turn.

"Those customers that paid for a show, paid for the messy display, I won "a lot" of those displays. I was a top earner to them. Of course I just did it for the money, the notoriety was just a bonus. It got me attention that made people bet more, untrustworthy people." Cash said doing his best to sight out the remaining grimm.

Ruby eye in the scope veered her vision along the trees. Pressing her finger on the trigger at the glint of red in the tree's shadow, Ruby pulled the hammer, the bullet flying to the red glow, the sound of flesh being punctured was followed up with black smoke taking to the air.

Ruby took her eye off the scope and held the weapon in front of Cash. "I trust you." She said, taking Cash by surprise, her eyes filled emotion almost staring through him. Cash slowly grasped the weapon and took aim at the tree's where the grimm retreated. "I'm not as good as you." He said with a smirk.

"We'll see." Ruby said putting a hand on his wrist, efficiently improving his arm positioning.

"Hey Ruby." Cash said, suddenly.

"Yeah?" She said, keeping her hand on his wrist to make sure he kept his posture.

"Thanks for coming out here with me." He softly, readying to take a shot down below.

"No problem." Ruby said with a sweet smile, letting her hand fall just below his. Cash at the sight of a creeping black figure fired, and waited, listening for a response. A howl erupted out of the tree's startling the birds to fly out. Cash aimed carefully in the trees, focused on a brush that stirred suspiciously. He closed one eye and tightened his posture, keeping his trigger finger ready. A pair of beowolves came out of the brush and darted relatively to their direction. Cash shot the pair consecutively, noting the stress he put on his muscles to concentrate. Ruby nodded in approval and moved her hand entirely with confidence. Cash managed to pin the remaining pack members, savoring the moment to finish off the Alpha beowolf.

He let out a sigh, letting the tension out of his arms.

"You seem pretty strong granted, your not on the level of my uncle, why bring me?" Ruby asked.

"I used to come with or without someone knowing by myself all the time. Something changed for me though." Cash said closing his eyes.

"What was it?" Ruby asked, putting a hand on the tree trunk.

"My mom and her not being ok with me going out her by myself. She dealt with me being here in general, but ya know what?" Cash beckoned turning to Ruby. "After all I did, helping Squall and our team make the Vytal Tournment finals, meeting Peter and Oobleck. Glynda even gave me her last name. One day when I told her I'd been in the Emerald forest like I'd usually done, she got sad, and I think scared." He said sadly.

It clicked to Ruby as to why he asked for the company. "Oooh, I get it, your mom. Wait though, Glynda wasn't always your mom before Beacon?" she asked.

"I have had a mom for 3 years. Glynda's the only mother I've ever had, I had Squall but no one else, I always scared them or try to hurt them. They didn't want me and I didn't want them. But then Glynda, just turned that around, in one semester. I'm happy to call her my mom. I would make sure to bring Squall, Sig, or anyone that wouldn't mind." Cash said, holding a smile.

"You didn't want to worry her, so you didn't. I don't remember much of my mom, its always been Yang since then. She remembers everything though…" Ruby said tilting her head at the sky.

Cash looked at her concerned with relating to her as he had no adults in his life that cared for him the way Glynda did. "I only had Squall as family before Glynda, not much to remember on either of our parts and he didn't even like being around him at first. You believe she was there, that's enough, and ya know what else?" Cash asked, with a grin.

"What?" Ruby responded returning her site to him.

"Thanks to her, I have a great friend I'd call family, and Yang has the best little sister ever. And your dad has the best daughter ever. Oh and your team has the best leader ever, and I'd Imagine your uncle has-" Cash playfully ranted on.

"You're a good son." Ruby said softly, with a smile.

Cash paused, giving a cheery smile that didn't look misplaced on his scarred face. Cash motion himself closter and Ruby let herself lean towards him, taking her hand off the tree trunk. They did not pay attention to how much time they spent sitting on the tree branch, enjoying the silent air the forest gave and the sun over head fresh as first light.

In due time they made their way to Beacon along the way, admiring the waterfall. Upon arrival at the courtyard, the two took notice that the academy was anything but empty as students were going and coming off airships.

"Thanks again for this Ruby." Cash said, his hood now returned over his face.

"No problem, I do feel like I could do this ongoing though." Ruby said, Crescent Rose's blade placed on her shoulder.

"You wanna do this again?" Cash asked, hopefully, a smile forming inside his hood. Ruby nodded.

"Mhm." She uttered. "Is that okay?" she asked.

"More than ok. I hope next weekend your free." Cash said.

"I'll be ready and willing. Go let your mom know, you make her proud." Ruby said, a childish giggle escaping her throat.

The girl took notice of a trio of yellow, black, and white off to her side. Her team stood at the front doors to the courtyard. They noticed her too, and Yang did not look pleased to Cash at her side, as she waved at her Sister.

"My teams here, don't forget to tell your mom." Ruby said, as Cash acknowledged her message as she split off.

She came upon her team happily, returning her weapon to her ammo belt. "Whats up guys?"

"I hope you didn't plan to invite him to our team only practice." Weiss questioned.

"I didn't I already had some time with Cash." Ruby said, non-chalanltly.

"You've been with him all day!?" Yang asked, in disbelief.

"You say that like you expected, I'd be left in a mass grave or something?" Ruby said, annoyed.

"Oh not at all!" Yang said sarcastically.

Off onto the Mess Hall building Cash peeked in the door, smiling seeing Glynda hold a tea cup, her expression more relaxed than usual. Pulling his hood down he went to the Huntress. He had another promise to keep.


	10. Cadorina

Cadorina

Cash blocked the assaults of Team RWBY jumping back, keeping his blade up for the next barrage. He shifted his eyes left and right, Ruby and Blake running towards him from both sides. Black tossed her tether at Cash. He dodged it, but noticed it took less effort then he thought. Blake nodded towards Ruby as her tether wrapped around her scythe. Blake pulled with both hands hard as she could, with Ruby rearing back her scythe blade. She was going to use Ruby as a giant Kusarigama. Ruby pulled the trigger on Crescent Rose which increased her speed, Cash intercepted her brush, pulling the trigger on his gunblade, making an explosion sending him flying back towards Blake. He spun and his blade me Ruby's and Blakes creating a shockwave from the impact.

Cash looked below, taking notice of a black glyph, keeping the two in place, Weiss behind them keeping her fingers straight her sword pointing down at the Glyph. Cash smiled at his tutor, proud of her creativity. Cash backed off and readied his blade at the sound of Yang's battle cry. Diving for a superman punch, Cash merely took a step back to dodge it. Yang took swings, taking no regard to planning her strikes. Cash dodged her side to side, as she tried harder to land a blow.

"(Still no personal change.)" Cash thought in disappointment, dodging Yang's crosses and jabs. He sheathed his Gunblade, which seemed to aggravate Yang as she swung harder, and when Cash's back was to her, her eyes glowed red. She went for another air strike, and Cash sidestepped her with nary a thought. He brought up his fist grasping his sheathed gunblade and tapped it against her face.

"Learn. Defense." Cash said, taking one eye to her, letting his fist fall.

"Would you Quit Saying That!" Yanged screamed as she exploded, her hair doing the same.

Cash didn't bother comprehending her shrilling. With a smile, he turned to the rest of Team RWBY. "Well done, I can see passing won't be a problem for you guys at the end of this semester." He said.

Ruby cheered pumping her scythe in the air, as Blake and Weiss fist bumped. "At top of rankings, I hope?" Weiss asked eagerly.

"Not up to me." Cash said with a snicker pointing as his mother.

"That will be all ladies, take a break." Glynda said, eager to move on to the next team.

Ruby waved at the gunblade wielder and walked to her sister to drag her away from further shrilling at him. Ceasing her tantrum, as her teammates uncomfortably walked to their seats. Team JNPR walked nervously passed them, as Ruby sat Yang down. With the source of her anger out of arm's length, Yang crossed her arms with a pout, and her eyes returned to lilac.

"Really Yang, I don't see why you can't stand him, I bet even Blake found something to like about him." Ruby said, pointing her thumb at the cat faunus.

"We happen to like the same reading material." Blake said, looking down at a book instead of the fighting below.

"All he says to me is "Learn Defense." Like I know what that means!? Doofus!" Yang said loudly, throwing her arms in the air with a snarl.

"He's just trying to help you, Yang, he's not saying that without reason." Weiss assured.

"He's basically saying I can't defend myself! If he'd seen what I did to some of the seedy punks I'd come across, he'd think twice!" Yang bragged. Ruby out of her sisters' sight, laid her eyes downcast, a frown forming on her face.

Ruby thought on how to make the two be on friendlier terms. With the last 2 months, Yang only grew more frustrated towards Cash's sentiments. Making it harder for the two to have any sort of genuine friendship. They were barely acquaintances.

As Ruby jarred her mind, getting more puzzled as her sister mumbled to herself, she could only hold her head in her hands. An idea then clicked in her mind and stood herself up straight with a smile.

As the class ended, Ruby made plans or the weekend to come. Saturday evening Ruby took the streets of vale with her sister, both in their huntsman attire.

"This is gonna be great, the pre-celebration for the Vytal festival at the docks is always the best!" Ruby said happily, with a jump.

"Any spending time I get to spend with my sister is always good." Yang said with a tender smile, making Ruby giggle.

"Up ahead!" Ruby shouted. Across the pier, banners decorated the square with words welcome, in red. Booths drawing crowds with games and showcases. Lights of red, orange and yellow illuminating the area, giving it a sense of celebration. Yang taking a childlike expression like her sister was ready to skip to the entrance, but she frowned upon seeing one person, in particular, awaiting them.

Cash stood smiling at the entrance waving at them, Ruby speeding ahead to meet him. Yang dully following.

"Hey Cash, will you look at this, it's so pretty, and there'll be fireworks at the end!" Ruby exclaimed, her mouth glistening over the thought of festival food.

"Can't wait. Hey Yang." Cash said, with a genuine positive greeting. He wore his grimm hoodie without his trenchcoat and worse his black pants.

"Hey." Yang said, biting down her bitterness. It wasn't like she outright hated him, but she had to find anything she liked about him.

"C'mon lets go!" Ruby said, taking each of them by the arm and dashing into the festival. Booth upon booth caught Ruby's eye as she left nothing but rose petals in her wake to the pastures of amusement.

From a ring toss, which Ruby participated with Cash, as her sister watched. Cash was unfamiliar with the carnival game and relied upon Ruby to instruct him. After a successful attempt, Cash flurried 5 rings on the bottles, gaining a fist bump from Ruby.

Next booth, Cash spectated as Yang stepped up to a dart throw popping balloons. Without looking at the targets she dispatched the varied colored balloons one after another, she finished with spitting the last dart center masse upon a blue balloon. Yang flexed an arm with a smirk, as Ruby awed at her sisters, getting starry-eyed, practically floating. Cash smirked as the sisters had their moment.

Amidst looking for the next game to play, Ruby pointed at a classic milk bottle pyramid knock em down game. The trio approached the booth, her companions happily following. The vendor enthusiastically welcomed them.

"Welcome, young ones, knock down the bottles and win a prize." They said, pointing at the varied plushies and stuffed toys decorating the ceiling of the booth.

"OooooooooooOOh, I want them all!" Ruby exclaimed, gawking at the stuffed toys over her head.

"Hmph." Cash smiled and approached the vendor. "How many prizes per knockdown?" he asked.

"Knock down all the bottles on one pyramid you get one prize." The vendor said happily. "Just hold up your lien card on the scanner there and I'll hand the balls. I also take cash." the vendor added, pointing to the device rigged onto the right support beam of the booth.

Cash put up his card to the scanner and received three balls. He whistled as he took up a ball and preceded to smash it into the stack of bottles and bring it all down.

"Well done." The vendor said, grabbing a pink bear plushy down the rack and presented it in front of Cash. Cash nodded towards Ruby, needing no other signal she scooped up the teddy bear in her arms and hugged it mercilessly. Before Ruby could thank him, Cash proceeded to throw another ball, dispatching another bottle pyramid.

Ruby gleefully gasped, already prepared to take her next prize. Cash knocked down another and proceeded to pay for more balls on the funds device. Ruby began jumping vigorously, childishly cheering with her new stuffed animals.

Yang, as she watched Cash repeat the process, began to scowl, and when he finished knocking down 6 more stacks, she huffed and displayed her lien card to the scanner. "Set me up." She said as the vendor was re-setting the bottle.

Ruby gaped at her sister and friend, standing side by side laying waste to bottles falling to the floor. Prize upon prize piled up next to Ruby as the pair spared no effort in making work of the obstacles. With no more stuffed animals on the rack or ceiling, Ruby was surrounded by plush toys and jumped in the air victory. The vendor laughed manically fawning over the lien cards Cash and Yang used to buy all the throws, basking in the success of his new funds.

Down the row of booths Cash, Yang, and Ruby walked, with stares coming from a lot of jealous children. Ruby carried her prizes gained from the efforts of her sibling and gunblade wielder. Cash walked behind smiling, contrast to Yang who seemed warily irritated folding her arms around her head.

"This is great! They're all mine!" Ruby shouted, smiling audaciously. With a quick spin, she turned to the two behind her, startling them. She charged them and wrapped an arm around each of her benefactors, somehow without dropping the stuffed animals. "I love you both so much!" she screamed, her head near Yang's shoulder and Cash's stomach. Yang gave her a tender smile and put her arms around the young girl. Cash could only blush, scratching his head nervously.

"U-uh, we better go get something to eat. You two can go find us a spot to sit." Cash suggested trying to hide his blush. Yang found this peculiar but continued to hold her sister.

"Yeah, sure. C'mon Yang!" Ruby said grabbing her by the hand and tugging her towards the direction she was walking beforehand.

"Yeah-sure." Yang agreed, following her sisters lead. Cash let out a sigh, relaxing in relief.

The siblings entered an area full of benches with umbrellas. Happily awaiting Cash to come back with nourishment. The sisters inspected animal plushy after another, Ruby constantly trying to find one perfect for Yang. Upon stopping upon the pony, Yang tried to dissuade her from giving it to her.

"(He won that one…)" Yang thought, putting on a fake smile to hide her inner scowl.

As Ruby pondered which to pick next, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Ruby looked behind to see Cash hovering over her with a smile. "Guess what I found?" he said giddily.

Ruby noticed Cash kept his arms behind his back. He revealed a snack box. "Strawberry cookies." He said. In the box were cookies ingrained with small strawberries, Ruby immediately gave a small scream, and took the box from Cash to feast on the confection.

"I remember you saying strawberries were your favorite food." Cash said taking a seat next to Yang. Ruby scrambled to Cash, and placed herself on his lap, catching him and Yang off guard.

"And their cookies, this day couldn't get any better!" Ruby exclaimed continuing to eat the strawberry cookies.

Yang unsure what to think, simply looked at how happy Ruby was as her sister offered her one, she happily began to dig in with her. Cash fidgeted nervously as the two ate away at the food.

Swallowing a cookie Ruby looked up at him. "C'mon Cash, have some!" Ruby said, positioning the box in between her and Yang.

Cash still caught off guard from Ruby sitting in his lap, began to devour the cookies, to Ruby's gratification. Yang eyed him and Ruby and began to think somberly of the 3rd year, her sister had grown more than fond of him, it was like watching her interact with their uncle qrow. He had been watching out for her as well as she had. That was more than enough to remove any previous animosity beforehand, that was albeit petty.

Yang moved her head against his shoulder, letting it rest upon it, as she continued to peck at strawberry cookies with her sister. Cash was taken by surprise and wasn't sure what to do. He only smiled in and ate with the sisters.

10 minutes later, the box was empty and Ruby let out a sigh of satisfaction. Her sister stood up and stretched her arms letting out a sigh under her breath.

Cash tossed the empty box into a trash can. With her appetite sated Ruby looked up at the sky, noticing it was well past twilight, and the stars were starting to glimmer. "Ah, its almost time for the fireworks show, I'm gonna get us fireworks so illegal, all inhabitants of Remnant will quake in fear of our greatness!" Ruby roared. She began skipping to the booths but realized her stuffed animals were still on the bench.

Catching this Cash, waved her towards her current path. "Go ahead I've got these." He said assuring Ruby.

Ruby nodded and proceeded to the main area to seek fireworks. Cash began to round up the stuffed animals but noticed that Yang was still with him. She watched him as if she had something to ask.

"You can go with you with your sister, if you want." Cash said, gathering the rest of the plushies.

"Why were you afraid when Ruby said she loved us?" Yang said, making the atmosphere like the inside of a pressurized mechanism. "You act like no ones told you they loved you before." Yang asked, fully serious intent in her voice. Cash with his back to Yang and kneeling at the bench, was silent.

"Before my mother no had said that to me before." Cash said finally, breaking the silence.

"No one? Not even Squall?" Yang asked.

"We've taken care of each other since before double digits, but were not that kind of brothers, I'm not used to hearing it, I'm still feeling when Glynda said it to me. I've never had that, not that I earned it." Cash said.

"But no one…even with what you've done, that's awful." Yang said on the brink of tears.

"Yang when I was 6 I broke out of a mental facility." Cash explained, increasing the tension in the air even further. This comment threw Yang for a loop but did her best to hold her composure.

"Surprised?" Cash asked.

"I want to say no, Ruby didn't tell us everything you told her, but I got the idea. A very clear idea." Yang uttered.

"Yang, I used to not be allowed in here." Cash said.

"Huh?" Yang said, confused at this.

"I come anywhere near the pre-celebration, everyone made sure to clear me away." Cash said, neutrally to the sentence.

"WHAT!?" Yang said, her eyes flickered red briefly.

"With good reason. If you knew me back then, then you-ghk!" Cash almost lost his balance at contact behind, as he was still to his knees. Yang had latched herself to his back, nestling her head on his left shoulder.

"Everybody has the right to seek fun, adventure, and the freedom to do so." Yang said softly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"How can you say that?" Cash said, shaken at Yang's gesture.

"Its something Ruby would say, and she's not here right now. Sooo….will I do?" she asked. Cash turned his head slowly to meet Yangs comforting smile. Their noses were almost touching. Cash inspected her eyes and Yang seemed to be doing the same. "I hate your eyes." Cash said quietly, but genuinely

"Take a picture, it'll last longer." Yang replied unfazed but inched closer to him. Cash reflexively did the same. Before they could do anything more, Yang's ear picked up a rushing wind and looked behind her to see rose petals erupting around the docks.

"Ruby's coming back, we better ready for the fireworks show, it's her whole favorite thing to do every year." Yang elaborated and gave Cash a quick kiss on the cheek. She walked away to await her sister.

Cash sat silent for a brief moment, then returned to grabbing the stuffed animals to move. Ruby came with an abundant amount of fireworks in hand to as she put it "make the sky fall". The trio walked to the area, labeled with signs of launching fireworks. Ruby could barely contain herself ready jump to beacon tower and back in anticipation. The area was no longer illuminated by lights of the booths, but now of firecrackers and Roman candles, as the other participants readied their other fireworks for the display.

"Oh here, here is great." Ruby said, planting the majority the fireworks down while she prepared. Cash and Yang overlooked the young girl, standing next to the mountain of stuffed animals they'd won earlier.

"Its great seeing Ruby like this." Cash said, with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I have the best little sister," Yang said with a sweet smile.

"Yeah, I'd do anything to have her see me the same way you do." Cash as his smile became sadder.

"Me?" Yang exclaimed.

"Yeah, you've got to be with Ruby her whole life, even if I was lucky enough to meet Ruby earlier all she would've found was a monss-" Yang interrupted Cash from pulling his hood over his head. Cash had no time think or act as Yang closed the distance between them getting into his face once again.

"She already thinks of you as her actual brother." She said firmly, also moving his hand away from his hood.

Cash flinched hearing this but shook it off. "I've never had a little sister, but trying to think of Ruby that way-" Cash trail off.

"You're always telling me things, now listen to this. She already thinks of you that way, not a passing fangirl phase, genuinely a big brother. Like me." Yang said letting go of his hand, letting it drop to his side.

Cash stood silence more in shock. He could only stare at the young girl affixing the fireworks.

"You oughta hear the way she talks about you when she's not afraid that you might not feel the same way." Yang said.

"Thank you, Yang." Cash said softly, as a firework set off into the sky starting the show.

"No problem." Yang stood her going red, as she played with her hair. More fireworks began to rocket off around them.

"Guys!" Ruby called, making the pair perk up in response. "The first volley is ready, lets start!" Ruby said with a fist in the air. 3 rocket style fireworks were tied together going from small, medium, to big. They were colored from red, yellow, and black. The two nodded at the girl and ran to ignite it with her.

With their hands extending roman candle, all three rockets were ignited. The trio let their eyes follow the fireworks into the night sky and explode with the other rockets. Ruby stared dazzled, as the flash of red, black, and yellow erupted in a blaze. Her sister no different, as Cash was happy just to share in the excitement.

Ruby was quick to select the next to launch, urging her sister to pick another. Without warning lighting away rockets into the sky. Yang grabbed a few and began to illuminate her own. As she started to ignite her intended picks, she noticed Cash was only staring at his roman candle, content with simply watching. Before Yang could finish she stopped herself from igniting her last one and set the two aside to launch from the ground. She tapped on Cash's shoulder to get his attention and brought up the rocket in her hand.

"You've never got to come here, right? This can be your true first solo fireworks launch." She said with a sweet smile. Cash looked at the firework, it was light yellow, with green stripes and the top was auburn. He slowly took it, and with Yang watching him he ignited the fuse and placed the rocket at his feet, to wait for its ascension

As the hissing finished, the firework flew and kept flying, catching Cash surprised when it went higher than all the other fireworks. Finally, it exploded in a flash of bright sparkling purple light that imitated stardust.

Cash watched in childlike wonder at the prospect and the others that went after it. Yang satisfied with her work, returned to Ruby's side to the bundle of fireworks.

After a few more mid-sized ones the sisters broke out the biggest one they had, ¼ of the height of Ruby, maybe more, and fat as an Ursa.

"Alright, sis prepare the big bang ballistic Xiao Long!" Yang commanded pointing her finger right at the sky taking a pose. "Yes, sir!" Ruby with Cash tow aimed the bulbous rocket like a mortar cannon, as Cash held the body Ruby lit the fuse and took hold as well. With a wild smirk Yang watched as the fat boy took to the sky and created long stretching dragon that overtook all other fireworks and intimidated part of the crowd.

"Hell yeaaaaah!" Yang roared putting her hands in the rock symbol, her cheers joined by Ruby and Cash who lifted Ruby on his shoulder in triumph. After their short celebration, the rest of their fireworks were dispatched posthaste. When they arrived at their last firework, Yang and Cash stepped aside to let her have the final curtain call on their night. With gratefulness and unending cheer gracing her she took a few steps forward to set up the last launch.

While her back was to her sister and pending brother. Cash inched closer to Yang, responding by making no gesture that she was going to move away from him. He put his head to hers and beckoned her to look at his eyes. With a blushing smile, she turned to his gaze and moved to put their foreheads together. Cash kissed her softly on the lips and Yang kissed back, lapping her tongue, to impression he could deepen the kiss. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed her more firmly and in response Yang put her arms around his neck, taking his embrace.

Ruby had launched the sky rocket and adorned the illuminated sky as the other festival goers launched theirs. Throughout all of this, Cash and Yang did continue their kiss.

A ways off, another blonde watched the ensuing romance of the pair. Glynda, her glasses teeming with the light of the moon, could only smile full of relief that her son made another stride in his life. "Way to go, son." On the brink tears, she exited the docks swiftly knowing that was now not the only woman in her sons' life that he would fight to protect. Regardless of his past, these were the people that he would beg to have in his life.

 **If you kicked you kicked you exams ass say AAAAAAGH! Their such a bitch.**


	11. More than Deserved

More than deserved

The daily life of Beacon Academy went on as usual. Outside the mess hall, Cash and his team were walking towards the door, with Ruby and Yang.

"You guys I think, I've found my favorite day of the month and its today!" Ruby said Cheerfully, skipping along the path.

"You seem more upbeat than usual." Sig laughed.

"(Yesterday was your favorite day of the month.)" Squall thought, walking in the back.

"I don't suppose that has something to do with them." Julius teased. Cash and Yang admired Ruby's joyful march, barely standing an inch apart, smiling at each other.

"Vytal Festival pending the top seeded teams of the year, Team CSHS, this team has two titles making them the heavyweights! Buts what this!? First year team and looming underdogs, taking to the stage its-" Ruby was scooped up with her sister by Cash and lifted on his shoulders. "Team RWBY." Cash said.

Yang and Ruby cheered, keeping themselves on his upright. They entered through the mess hall door, and Yang took notice of her team as Cash continued to carry her and her sister. Cash put them down and with a quick kiss on the mouth, she bashfully walked with her sister to her friends trying to hide the redness of her face.

"I don't know why she's trying to hide it, we already know their together." Weiss said, Blake, nodding with her.

"Hi, guys!." Ruby said cheerfully, taking a seat across Weiss. Yang and Team CSHS took their seats down the long table.

"Your exceptionally obnoxiously happy today." Weiss said sarcastically, watching Yang sit next to Cash and Ruby.

"Well, I don't make it seem like its Christmas do I? Maybe the days just going that good." Ruby said cooly. Blake smiled holding back a laugh.

"Cash couldn't buy that with his street fighting." Weiss jabbed, growing more discontent with Ruby's cheeriness.

"Guess again, Cash was loaded before his arrest and-well it's a long story." Ruby said with a nervous laugh. Feeling slightly ashamed for telling her honorable brothers story.

"I don't fret over that, I got enough Lien, still it was a lot…" Cash said, sinking into Yang's shoulder.

"How much did you make?" Nora appeared mysteriously, behind Cash. Team JNPR walking up the table with their food.

"And how did you get Beacon to take you when you were a criminal." Weiss added.

"They are all so nosy." Yang said, leaning her head up to Cash's.

"I'll make this short." Cash whispered, assuring her by placing his hand on hers. "It happened like this. On my last week of combat school, someone snitched on the sole purpose of getting free. Names, locations, winnings, and fighters such as myself got a visit from the police." Cash explained, not at all bitterly.

"So you got sold-Out!?" Nora exclaimed, slamming her hands on the table, making Jaune spill his brussel sprouts, which he frowned upon.

"Everyone involved got a jailcell, all the money from the illegal betting got confiscated, my winnings included." Cash said, straightening himself up to remove his weigh from Yang's shoulder.

"That sounds like a lot of cash, for a simple underground fighting." Blake said, curisouly.

"It's a common fact that rich people participate in unsanctioned betting often." Ren said.

"How much did you manage the get before the Police raid?" Weiss asked, with low expectation.

"If I recall, 3 Million lien." Cash said.

"3 MILLION!?" Echoed around the mess hall.

"How!?" Nora demanded almost breaking the table this time.

"Its like Ren said, the rich bet big. And I more or less, was the champion." Cash said, not all too arrogantly.

"Really?" Yang said coyly, taking hold of his arm.

"Julius is this true!?" Weiss said shaking the tall black figure vigorously.

"Yes, it was in the police report." Julius said, comedically holding his deadpan composure.

"I didn't believe at first, either." Sig said, propping his head, frustratingly.

"I recall that story, the police shut down a big criminal fighting tourney, over a billion lien was confiscated from all who was involved." Blake said, catching her breath, in a sweat.

"Thanks to Squall, however, 100,000 was safe from them, and we had money to live on." Cash said, giving a grateful nod to his brother.

The group stared at the scarred gunblade user, but he did not react to anything happening at the table and simply ate.

"Wow, you were pretty rich." Weiss said, with approval. "And the police took all of it." She said.

"And then there's what happened after." Cash said quietly. Yang put her head on his shoulder, eagerly waiting for him to tell his story. "After being arrested, not too long I got brought before the judge. They saw that I was in combat school and with that in mind, they put me on probation on my 1st year of Beacon, after the first semester I was to appear again to review my standing among the students and teachers." Cash smiled thinking of the friends that helped him that day. Oobleck, Peter, Professor Peach, and Glynda, after which after she was his mother.

"If they weren't pleased, I'd be sent back to jail." Cash explained, noting the warmth he felt from Yang's stomach pressed against is arm. Despite hearing this tail previously, Ruby waited eagerly to finish with the others.

"As you can see, they saw fit to let me stay here, and I don't have anymore criminal charges against me. I got everything I wanted." Cash said as he was hugged by both sisters.

"You should be proud of that." Pyrrha said with a smile.

"You pulled yourself out the worst circumstances, you changed." Jaune said softly.

"Way to go Cash, me and Ren came from no place to call home, nothing but each other to get us through life, and through it all we got to Beacon. Oh and Jaune and Pyrrha. And Ruby, Blake, Yang, unfortunately, Weiss-HEY!" Weiss shouted offended, interrupting Nora. "And of course Pancakes, the dorm kitchen is REALLY handy." Nora said happily taking a seat to Ren.

"Whatever hardships we face, we'd be lucky if we got through it like Cash did." Blake said happily.

"Not like he did it alone." Sig said, feeling underappreciated.

"In turn he had our back." Julius, trying to cool down Weiss' venting.

"Just as well, Glynda almost got fed up with him when they met." Squall said sarcastically.

"OH, speaking of which I gotta go, I told Glynda I'd be at to help her work by now." Cash said reluctantly standing up, to leave the embrace of the girls.

"I'll see you later." Yang said grabbing his face for a kiss, brushing her hand on his face as he walked away. Ruby waved after him as the serious atmosphere was reduced.

"(You two are, really more than what I deserve.)" Cash thought making his way out of the mess hall.

Yang stared after him, all but swooning at her new boyfriend. Ruby noticed this with the rest of her team and smirked confidently. "This is great, just think, with enough effort, we'll be at their wedding!" she said gleefully.

Weiss and Blake paled, worrying that their leader was taking the relationship between them too far. "Ruby its too early to be saying this like that, they just started going out." Weiss warned.

"Oh but it I can picture it!" Ruby glimmered. "And after the wedding, they'll have beautiful blond, hooded, babies!" Ruby cheered further stressing her teammates.

"Ruby c'mon, that's too much for them right now. Things like that take time." Blake explained, however, the thoughts Ruby expressed weren't all too bad to her.

"Are you guys hearing this!?" Weiss said to Sig, Squall, and Julius.

"To what?" Squall said with food in his mouth, paying attention only to Velvet entering the Mess Hall.

"Not a bit." Sig said bitterly.

"She'll come to grips with it sooner or later Weiss, for now, let's just be happy she's happy." Julius advised, putting a cup of coffee on the table for her and himself.

Weiss could only stare at the coffee noting, he put just the right amount of sugar in it for her. Weiss dismayed and simply took the cup of coffee scooting next to Julius. Yang thankfully remained ignorant to the conversation.

Meanwhile, in Beacon Tower, Glynda worked in her office, taking heed of the stacks of paper she was thankful she wouldn't be sorting through alone. With a smile on her face, she waited for her TA to knock on her door. Above her head, a shelf donned a pair of Trophies inscribed with "Vytal Festival Champion."


End file.
